Power Rangers: Hibernian Knights
by Sir Perfluous
Summary: Ancient Celtic legends become reality when a monstrous warlord returns to take vengeance on the world. With the powerful magic of the Faerie Courts behind them, a new band of human knights must rise to protect their homes and preserve the natural balance of the world.
1. The Legend Begins

**Hello everyone, and welcome to my third original PR series! Before we get started, I wanted to give a salute to all my regular readers as well as those who had submitted characters for this series. Special thanks also go to the people whose OC's were chosen for the main cast: Stormasius, TheDayDreamer25, AceKH, and Moonlit Mortal! Now... let's see what happens when we mix Power Rangers, Mystic Knights of Tir na Nog, and maybe a little bit of Dungeons and Dragons into a bubbling cauldron of Fantasy goodness.**

 **Note: Sadly, I do not own Power Rangers. But I still hope you enjoy this story!**

* * *

 **Episode 1: Part 1**

Sinister laughter echoed through the dark caverns as Deirdre Finn struggled to break free of her captors. The young fair haired geologist gave a growl and attempted to shove aside one of the spriggan warriors holding her arm. The monstrous dark faerie with sharp features and pointed elf-like ears turned its eyes on her with fury. The soldier gave a menacing snarl and tightened his grip causing the woman to yelp in pain.

Paying her no mind, the small party of ugly spriggan foot soldiers continued to lead their prisoner deeper into the gloom of the caves. As they trudged on, Deirdre eyed the spriggans and cursed herself silently for letting her curiosity get the better of her. She never should have tried going alone to explore the odd rock formations just outside of Somerset Valley, especially when these tunnels had never shown up on her topographic charts before.

After delving deeper into the seemingly endless tunnels, the spriggans finally made their way into a cave mouth that opened up into a wide cavern. In a strange way, the cavern almost resembled a sort of barbaric throne room or a Great Hall straight out of the Middle Ages.

Flickering lights from rows of torches cast a dim light as Deirdre was led past rows of sinister looking monsters of varying shapes and sizes. They each gave her predatory grins and the geologist immediately recognized the monsters as Fomorians, corrupted fey that were dark twisted creatures of the Faerie Realm.

After passing the rows of evil creatures, the spriggans stopped abruptly and Dierdre was brought before a large barbaric looking warrior sitting upon an iron throne. The leader of the Fomorian Host was a monstrous looking king wearing dark robes, assorted animal furs, and crude pieces of dirty armor. Upon his head was a jagged iron crown and a horned helmet which covered one of his eyes despite a sinister red glow which emanated from behind the covering. The large figure looked down at the young woman and snorted in amusement, "Well… it seems we have an unexpected visitor. Perhaps I should introduce myself?"

"I know who you are," Deirdre replied with an edge of chilly defiance in her voice, "You are Balor, Warlord of the Fomorian Host."

The spriggan guards who stood behind her tensed slightly but Balor continued to sit, looking calm and unperturbed. Finally, a thin sneer crossed his lips, "I'm impressed, but I'm also curious to know just who you are and how you know me."

Deirdre smirked, "Who I am isn't important, but what is important is that I make sure that the Four Courts of Faerie know you've returned."

The warlord snorted, "Oh? And how do you plan to do that?"

Deirdre took a deep breath and spoke a quick incantation, summoning a small pixie messenger that glowed with vibrant green light. The Formorians froze in surprise as the pixie darted in the air and zipped around Deirdre.

"Go now!" she called to the pixie, "Warn Kristen and the others first!"

"You're a Druid!" Balor roared in fury before gesturing to his own bodyguards, "Stop her!"

The spriggans seized Deirdre but the young woman wore a smug smile as the pixie darted through the startled Fomorians and escaped the clamor of Balor's throne room.

"Do whatever you want with me Balor. I know the Tuathan Knights will find you and strike you down again... for good this time."

Balor furiously rose from his throne and slowly began to remove the covering of his fiery glowing eye. A menacing growl escaped the throat of the barbarous warlord as he focused his ire on Deirdre and the light from his baleful eye grew more intense, "We'll just see about that Druid... won't we?"

* * *

A cool autumn breeze gently blew as Connor Walsh strolled through campus town of Somerset Valley University. The small quaint New England college located in the state of Massachusetts was already bustling with activity as new students made themselves busy moving in, catching up with friends, or buying school supplies.

As he walked down the colorful tree lined streets of campus town, Connor rolled up the sleeves of his dark red zip up hoodie and gave a sigh, eyeing the few stray dollar bills left in his wallet. It had only been the first week of his sophomore year and he was already cleaned out from having to buy textbooks for the semester. Classwork had just begun to gear up and if he was going to be able to enjoy any extra meals out or weekend entertainment, then he needed to line up a new job, and fast.

He curiously looked about the storefronts until he caught sight of a small out of the way antique shop around the corner. In the window was a "Help Wanted" sign. As Connor approached, he noticed some old Celtic designs on the storefront and a stylized green sign above the door proclaiming it as _Tara's_.

When he entered, Connor stopped to look about the curious little shop. The interior had a very rustic old Irish look, accented further by the various odds and ends littering the place. Despite the unusual atmosphere, the antique shop still had a warm homey feel while proudly displaying many other arts and crafts reflecting the subtle Irish themes, such as a handcrafted tapestry on the wall, a few wooden walking sticks, a spinning wheel in the corner, and what looked to be an old spear hanging from the mantle of a fireplace.

While he browsed a nearby shelf, Connor took a moment to admire some jewelry and finely crafted pewter chalices when he heard someone walk out from the back storage room to greet him. She was a tall slim young woman in her early thirties, with long straight brown hair. The woman was also pretty, but in a very plain and simple way. She wore a dark dressy blazer over a green blouse and walked in behind the front counter with a friendly but professional air, "Hello, can I help you, sir?"

The student turned and held up the Help Wanted sign he had plucked from the window, "I hope so. I was actually interested in finding some work. My name is Connor, Connor Walsh, and I'm a local student here at Somerset Valley."

The woman extended a hand and shook his, "Nice to meet you. I'm Kristen Bloom, the owner of this store."

After a pause, she gave a thoughtful look, "About the work… it's part time, but the pay won't be anything too special. I need someone to move boxes, take inventory, and mind the shop… that sort of thing."

"Sure. I guess I can do that," Connor shrugged. "Is there anything else?"

Kristen scratched her chin thoughtfully and pointed to the doorway with an amused smile, "Humor me. With a last name like Walsh, do you have any ideas why this shop might be named Tara's?"

Connor frowned pensively for a moment then ventured a guess, "The place has a Celtic theme, so… unless you've got a relative with the same name... maybe it has something to do with the Hill of Tara in Ireland? The seat of power for their High Kings?"

Kristen laughed gently and nodded, "I'm impressed. You seem to know a thing or two about your heritage."

Connor smiled, "Oh, I don't know about that… you can just chalk it up to the ramblings of my old-school grandparents."

"They weren't superstitious, were they?" Kristen asked.

Connor chuckled, "Oh sure, growing up I've heard all sorts of stories about the leprechauns, banshees, and faerie people."

"And what about you? Do you believe in them?" Kristen asked, suddenly becoming very serious.

Connor paused in confusion before giving a noncommittal shrug, "I dunno. I mean… it's kinda hard to believe in that stuff nowadays... but I guess anything is possible… right?"

Kristen gave him a mysterious smile before pulling out an employee application form and gesturing toward a nearby desk, "Yes… I suppose it is."

* * *

Later that week, the sounds of chirping birds greeted Connor as he left his dormitory and headed toward the heart of campus town on his way to work. While he walked, he zipped up his sporty red hoodie to ward off the cool autumn air which had already begun to set in a little early this year. The leaves had begun to change color and the gentle golden rays of the early September sun had grown much weaker than the intense heat of the past summer.

The tall handsome young man with short light brown hair made his way toward the quad where many other students were already out and about enjoying the first free weekend of the semester. Things had died down a little from the activities of freshmen orientation week and many of the older students had come to reclaim the quad for their favorite spots to study, play frisbee, or have picnic lunches. Connor passed by a few classmates on the sidewalk and exchanged a wave before he came across his own roommate sitting out on a bench with his sketchbook in hand.

Quinton Wallace was a very average looking young man, slightly on the shorter side with light brown features. He liked to wear simple earthy color clothes and today, they were casual khaki cargo pants with a green polo shirt. At the moment, Quinton was so engrossed in his work, he didn't even notice Connor approach.

"Hey Quin! What's going on?" Connor smiled taking a seat beside his friend.

Quinton looked up in surprise before giving a sheepish smile, "Oh! Hey Connor. Sorry I didn't see you there. I was kinda in the zone just now."

"I can see," Connor replied while taking a glance at the sketchbook, "You working on your next masterpiece?"

Quinton snorted in amusement and handed over the drawing. It was an excellent pencil sketch of a beautiful girl and as Connor glanced up, he saw that the subject was in fact a girl sitting at the other end of the quad having a picnic lunch with her other female friends. She was laughing and smiling, seemingly unaware of her admirer's work.

Connor sighed and handed the sketchbook back to his friend, "It looks great man, but I'm not sure if what you're doing is romantic... or kinda weird. I mean come on, you said Kayla there has been your next door neighbor since you were ten. Why don't you just ask her out already?"

"Oh geez Connor, I don't know... I can't just be so direct," Quinton said biting his lip and returning to his work. "What if I humiliate myself?"

Connor rolled his eyes gently. He knew his roommate was a very shy person and it had taken Connor the better part of his freshmen year to get Quinton to open up and become his friend. "Come on Quin. Talking to girls is easy. Stop putting them on a pedestal and psyching yourself out. They're just regular people like you and me."

"Care to demonstrate your theory?" Quinton answered as he tilted his head sideways.

Connor turned in surprise to see one of his female classmates approach the bench and stop in front of him. She was a cute girl with slightly tanned skin and dark brown hair worn in a side braid. Atop her head was a casual orange beret tilted slightly to the side. She wore an orange flannel shirt and dark leggings along with light brown boots. As she stopped, she gave a small wave while glancing away shyly.

"Uh, hi Connor. I'm glad I spotted you today."

Connor glanced to Quinton before fixing her with a welcoming smile and rising from the bench, "Noelle? What's up?"

The girl gave a timid shrug and glanced at him quickly, "I'm really sorry to ask you, but I was wondering if you'd be willing to loan me your textbook so I can finish our first homework assignment. I'm still waiting for my book to come in the mail and I totally forgot to email you earlier in the week about it."

Quinton raised an eyebrow curiously before Connor explained, "Quinton, this is Noelle Moreau, a fellow sophomore. She and I are in the same Biology class and we were assigned to be lab partners."

Quinton and Noelle exchanged a polite nod and greeting before Connor turned back to the girl, "Sure thing. I was actually on my way to work right now so feel free to take the book. My roommate here can let you into our room, right Quin?"

Quinton shrugged and folded his sketchbook up, "Sure. Why not?'

"Thanks Connor! I really appreciate it," Noelle sighed in relief as she quickly glanced down again.

Connor frowned in mild confusion as he tilted his head to try and make eye contact with her again, "Uh, Noelle? My eyes are up here."

She continued to hesitate until he gave a patient sigh and gently put both his hands on her shoulders, "Listen, if we're gonna be lab partners, you don't have to be scared of me, okay?"

Noelle immediately looked up in surprise and met his gaze directly. In that moment, he saw her eyes had an unusual quality about them. They were brown near the center of the pupil and turned into a bluish gray around the iris. It was a little unusual and surprising, but only if one looked very closely.

Noelle jumped back a few inches and turned away, "Sorry... I uh... hope you're not too freaked out by what you just saw."

"What? By your eyes?" Connor shrugged, "Why should I be?"

Noelle blinked in confusion, "Then... you don't think they're weird or scary?"

Connor laughed good naturedly and gave a reassuring wink, "Nah. I actually think they're kinda pretty... and unique."

"Really?" Noelle asked in astonishment as she felt her cheeks grow a little warm.

Connor glanced down to check his watch, "Shoot... I really gotta get going or I'll be late for work. Quinton, could you finish helping Noelle for me?"

"Will do," his roommate nodded, "You're gonna be at that antique shop in town, right? Tara's?"

Connor waved in gratitude as he started to hurry off, "Provided I don't get fired for being late!"

* * *

Later that day, long rays of late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the glass windows of the antique shop as Connor Walsh continued to work. He had been moving several stacks of heavy supply crates into storage and was now just sweeping up the main floor when he heard the little bell on the door jingle open. He glanced up and saw an beautiful young woman enter the store and give the place a cursory glance. She was likely a fellow student at the college and if he had to guess, probably one of the East Coast's "old money" types based on her stylish and preppy appearance.

She was dressed in a navy blue shoulder blouse over a pleated white skirt and expensive looking shoes. As she entered, she swept back some of her wavy blonde hair almost giving off a casual air of nobility. Connor quickly dusted off his dark green apron and tried to make himself look presentable while stepping forward to greet his attractive female customer.

"Hi there! Welcome to Tara's Antiques," he said extending a friendly hand, "I'm Connor."

The girl stood and regarded him with an unimpressed look while glancing toward his hand. It seemed she didn't want to shake his dirty hand and she breezed by him instead, "Yes... charming."

She had a distinctly clipped English accent, or "posh" as some would refer to it. Perhaps she was a transfer student from the UK? He frowned slightly but maintained a patient smile, "May I help you?"

The English girl gave a disparaging look around the shop and sighed in boredom, "If you must."

"All right then, Miss..."

"Gremory. Laura Gremory," she supplied while pacing around the store. "I'm starting my first year here at the university and I'm in need of some things to furnish my dormitory room."

"Hey, that's great! A fellow Somerset student too," Connor said happily, "I think you've come to the right place. There's a lot of unusual knick-knacks around this store so I'm sure we can find something for you."

Laura raised a skeptical eyebrow, "I do hope you're right. Everything I've seen up to now just looks either dreadfully gauche or how should I put it... pedestrian."

No sooner had she said that was when Kristen walked out of a back room where she was looking over some account ledgers. The tall woman gave a bright smile, "Hello! Welcome to Tara's. Can I help you?"

Connor sighed in relief and handed the customer off to his boss, "Laura, this is Kristen Bloom, the owner of the store. Kristen, our customer is looking for some things for her dorm room."

Kristen nodded with an easy smile and directed Laura toward some antique furniture, "Of course, right this way Miss. As you can see we have a wide variety of..."

The bell over the door jingled again as two more people entered the shop. This time, it was both Quinton and Noelle. Connor put aside his broom and gave a surprised look as they greeted him. "Quinton? Noelle? What are you two doing here?"

"Well, your shift is almost over and it's Saturday night, right?" Quinton said to his roommate, "I came to see if you wanted to go grab some dinner at O'Doyle's Pub on the way back."

It was a tempting offer. O'Doyle's was a popular restaurant-pub in campus town and students of all grades liked to go there: whether it was burgers and snacks for the underclassmen or pints of beer for the upperclassmen. Conner shrugged and gave a nod, "Sure. I guess that's fine. But... what about you Noelle?"

The girl in orange gave a kind smile and shrugged, "Oh, well... I finished my homework and I wanted to come along to pay you back for helping me out today."

"Ah... well, that's really sweet of you, but don't sweat it," Connor admitted in slight embarrassment, "It's no big deal... really."

"I'm still chipping in for a dessert then and that's final," she insisted.

Quinton looked to his fiend as Connor pulled off his apron and laughed while hanging it up, "Well Miss Moreau, you make a compelling argument. If you insist, then I guess I have no choice."

Before Connor could get ready to end his workday, he and his two friends stopped as they noticed a small bright green orb of light flit in through a crack in the doorway and start buzzing around the room in a panic. As it zipped about, the three could almost make out the image of little iridescent wings flapping from its back and a faint trail of light behind it.

"What the heck is that thing?" Quinton gasped as he recoiled in slight fear.

As it buzzed near him, he raised a hand to swat it away but Noelle grabbed his wrist, "No! Don't hurt it! It looks like it's scared."

Connor stared in wonder at the little fairy creature as it stopped to rest on his outstretched hand. The tiny glowing creature squeaked in a little voice, "Hey! Listen! I have a message... for Kristen!"

"No way..." Quinton muttered while Noelle began to coo over the sprite.

"Aww, look. It's so cute!"

Moments later Kristen Bloom hurried over and froze with a surprised look on her face, "A messenger pixie!"

Connor, Quinton, and Noelle blinked in utter confusion while Laura ambled over and gave a surprised gasp as well, "I... what the devil is that thing?"

Before anyone could answer her, the pixie darted up from Connor's hand and zipped around Kristen. "Sister Bloom! I have an urgent message! Sister Finn is in danger!"

Kristen raised her hands and kept her voice level, "Slow down little one. Tell me clearly."

The pixie bobbed in midair, "Balor and his Fomorian Host have returned! They've captured Dierdre and she sent me to warn you! She said you have to warn the other Druids... and the Four Courts of Faerie!"

"Wait a second! Druids? Faerie Courts?" Connor gasped in shock, "What the hell is going on here?"

Kristen ignored him and kept her eyes fixed on the pixie. "Thank you. Go now and tell the Elders that it's time. I'll worry about finding the right guardians. Hurry!"

The glowing green pixie bobbed in reply and darted out of the room to spread the new message. The store owner immediately turned on her heel and headed for a locked chest behind the counter. She pulled out a small dark wooden rod from the inside pocket of her blazer and instantly transfigured it into an impressive staff adorned with ancient runes and a small emerald at the tip.

"Whoah! Did your boss just pull some Harry Potter trick right there?" Quinton said with wide eyes.

Laura blinked in shock before shaking her head and snapping at him, "Don't be stupid. There has to be a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this."

Kristen tapped the padlock on the chest with her staff and opened it to reveal a smaller wooden container almost resembling a cigar box. Connor watched as she put her hand over the top and began speaking in what sounded like an old Celtic language. As she continued the incantation, a green glowing ward appeared over the box before fading away, allowing her access to it.

"Uh Kristen... do you mind telling us what's going on here?"

The store owner glanced up at him with a deadly serious expression and replied, "This region is about to be in serious danger. I don't know how many monsters might be running loose but I need all of you to go back to your dorms right now and stay inside where it's safe."

"Wait! What about you?" Connor protested, "Don't tell me you're actually going to go out and do something crazy."

Kristen sighed in slight frustration as she quickly opened the box to reveal four beautifully crafted rings sitting atop a velvet lining. Each ring had intricate engravings on them in an unknown flowing script along with different colored gems. Two were silver with a blue gem and an orange gem. The two gold rings bore a red gem and a green gem.

"I need to give these to the right four people in order to protect us. If I don't, there's no telling how much damage the monsters will cause or how many people might die as a result."

The four students all exchanged an uneasy glance with each other before Kristen snapped the box closed, "All of you, leave the shop and go home now. I don't want to hear another word."

Before the four students could turn and follow through with Kristen's orders they heard the sounds of loud banging coming from the other side of the front door. Moments later, several fearsome figures appeared on the other side of the storefront window. They looked to be dark shadowy humanoid fey creatures. The foot soldiers wore blackened armor and scratched at the thick glass with their predatory teeth and claw-like hands.

Quinton and Laura stumbled back in shock as Noelle gave a fearful gasp and grabbed Connor's forearm.

"What... are those things?" the girl in orange murmured in dread.

"Spriggans," Kristen answered with a grim tone as she clenched her staff with one hand and took the box of rings in the other.

Connor balked a moment and stared at the monstrous warriors outside, "Spriggans? As in monstrous faeries from the old legends?"

"Something like that," the Druid muttered gravely.

Quinton gulped and spoke in a trembling voice, "What are we going to do?"

Kristen tensed as the front door banged loudly and the spriggans began their assault. "We pray for luck."

* * *

 ***So I was just too excited to wait and I wanted to start posting the first part of this story. Just as a heads up, I'll be updating this a little less frequently than Oceania, as it'll give me some time to work on a personal original fiction project too. Until then everyone!**


	2. Hibernia, To Arms!

**Episode 1: Part 2  
**

The front door of the shop shuddered again as the spriggans threw their weight behind it in a loud thud. Kristen looked about quickly and gave a growl as she passed the box over to Connor. "Whatever you do, don't let anything happen to those rings."

The Druid took a few steps forward and raised her staff in a defensive stance to shield the four cowering students. As she did, the emerald atop the staff radiated a faint green barrier of energy as if it were some magic force field.

"Do you think the windows will hold those things?" Noelle asked, but her question was immediately answered as the windows shattered and the front door was smashed open by the spriggan warriors. The dark fey minions snarled and charged forward into the shop but several were thrown back as Kristen advanced and gave her staff a swing. The spriggans froze in momentary surprise, having not expected to fight a Druid and it gave Kristen a moment to skillfully smash her weapon into two more warriors blocking the way.

"You four! Go now! Get out of here!" she shouted as she twirled her staff and tried to fend off the rest of the evil faerie minions.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Laura replied grabbing Noelle's wrist and scrambling to her feet. Connor gave Quinton a nod and the four students made a fearful dash through the melee to escape through the shattered front window of the store. To their shock, they saw several more spriggans waiting outside along with a large monstrous goatman leading them. The long rays of the evening sun reflected off the beastman's thick polished leather armor, marked with the emblem of Balor's Evil Eye. While the monsters grouped together, the streets around the block emptied out with terrified cries of the local residents and students.

As they skidded to a halt in front of the monsters, Quinton gasped as he bumped into Noelle from behind, "Crap! What now?"

Laura glanced over and caught sight of a nearby park across the street leading back toward the main university campus. She gave Connor's sleeve a quick tug and gestured towards the trees, "Come on! Let's try to lose them there!"

The four students took off running in a mad dash and sprinted across the grassy field leading toward the woods. Hot on their heels came the spriggans and the satyr who gave a furious snort, "Don't let those children get away!"

A few of the spriggans halted and drew forth some shortbows with blackened arrows. They raised their weapons and fired a volley into the air and just as the four students neared the trees, the bolts struck the ground in front of them. To their surprise, the arrows erupted in a stunning burst of dark magic which threw the four young people backwards and knocked them off their feet.

Amid the smoke, the students scrambled to their knees and quickly huddled together while several of the spriggans surrounded them in a semi-circle. As they did, Noelle bent down for a moment to retrieve her beret, but found it had been completely scorched in the blast. "Yikes, I've been meaning to get rid of it... but not like this," she muttered in fear.

After the smoke cleared, the large satyr warrior approached holding a weapon resembling a hatchet and he gave a contemptuous snort while pawing the ground with his cloven foot, "There's no escaping Balor's Fomorian Host... especially not from me, the great Goraak."

"What do you want?" Noelle called out in fear.

Goraak frowned, "I've tracked that pixie to you and we know it must have been for something important. If you're keeping it in that box, then hand it over and I might let you live."

The others turned to Connor as he clutched the box protectively.

"Do it before I lose my patience, boy!"

Connor stared down the monstrous satyr for a long moment before giving a sigh and nodding. He grudgingly extended his arm and tossed the box at the monster's feet. Quinton and Noelle looked on in horror while Laura whirled around on Connor, "What is wrong with you? Miss Bloom said not to let anything happen to the rings!"

Connor gave a sly smile, and opened his palm exposing the four rings, "You're right. The monster only asked for the box… and that's exactly what I gave him."

Goraak stood in momentary confusion as he opened the box and found it to be empty. When he realized he had been tricked, he ground his teeth, "You're going to pay for that."

As the monster stomped forward, Connor quickly passed the silver rings to the two girls and a gold one to Quinton, "Kristen said these things were supposed to be worn by guardians… let's hope they can protect us right now."

As the four slipped the rings on, they stopped and stared in wonder as the colored gems began to glow and resonate. The sudden light of the rings also caused the satyr and his spriggan troops to freeze in their tracks.

"What is happening?" Noelle asked curiously as her ring radiated a brilliant orange light. The four students slowly rose to their feet and felt a surge of elemental energy wash over them, enveloping their whole beings. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. The sudden force of the transformation released a miniature shockwave that threw back the spriggans in a dazzling light. Even the goatman recoiled for a moment and couldn't help but shield his eyes.

When the light faded, the dark fey gaped in shock at the sight before them. In place of the four students, stood four warriors girded in resplendent fey armor. The spriggans fell back and cowered, immediately recognizing the magnificent designs of the armor and weapons crafted for the greatest knights of the ancient Elven courts.

Each knight wore form fitting suits of chainmail in different colors. Over their colorful feather-light hauberks was finely crafted plate armor consisting of gauntlets, pauldrons, and lamed cuirasses. Upon their heads were sleek barbute helmets with a visor to cover their face and a small crest adorning the top. Just like the knights' rings, the color of their steel plate armor matched the jewelry: the girls in silver, and the boys in gold.

"Wow… check us out," Connor gasped in awe of his red and gold colored armor. "We just transformed into medieval warriors or something..."

"Almost like Power Rangers..." Noelle added as she admired her own outfit.

Nearby, the satyr Goraak rubbed his eyes and tried to rally his dark fey minions, "No… it can't be. Those are not the Hibernian Knights! They are imposters!"

The spriggans exchanged confused looks before the four warriors stepped forward. Connor curiously glanced at his side and saw the hilt of a bladed weapon sheathed there. He reached for the handle and drew forth a fine Elven blade resembling a long scimitar, then took a moment to admire its slight curve and the flowing inscriptions which ran along the fuller. As the blade caught the light of the fading sun, the steel began to glow red and generate some heat.

"I don't know what's going on, but first thing's first you guys. I say we deal with these jokers and then help Kristen."

The others nodded and each knight reached over to draw forth their own unique bladed weapons. In Laura's hand was an icy rapier covered in blue frost while Noelle held a curved falcata sword which twinkled with shimmering orange light. Beside them, Quinton gripped a short green colored sword in one hand and a Celtic sickle in the other. Each of the teens had never actually handled any of those weapons before, but strangely enough, it was like they instinctively knew what to do with them. Maybe it was all the Faerie magic, but they could wait to ask Kristen later. Right now, they had a bunch of monsters to deal with.

"What are you waiting for? Kill them!" Goraak shouted in order to spur his foot soldiers forward.

The four knights surged forward with their weapons and clashed with the dark fey warriors. Despite the cumbersome appearance of their armor, each of the knights found that they could still move swiftly and easily in combat. Even more surprising, they fought with greater speed, agility, and strength than they knew they were capable of. The satyr Goraak could only watch in horror as the band or spriggans were easily taken down by the unique fighting styles of the four warriors.

Laura stood with her icicle shaped rapier and swiftly parried aside several spriggan lunges. As she swept her foes aside, she maintained her defensive poise and gracefully counter attacked, slashing them back with cold cruel efficiency. The Winter Knight moved swiftly making several lunges and backhanded slashes as if using a tennis racket. Any spriggans not caught by her blade were still struck by a wave of cold air and found their own movements slowed. As the air continued to grow cold around the Winter Knight, a gusting wind suddenly arose from nearby and swept up a cloud of fallen leaves.

The leaves quickly swirled around Noelle as she used quick feints and tricky evasive maneuvers to keep her enemies off balance. As she blocked and countered with her curved sword, the Autumn Knight swept her blade up to blind the spriggans with a burst of air and leaves. By the time they had recovered their wits, each of them were cut down by her punishing slashes. After seeing a few spriggans back off, Noelle charged her curved blade and hurled it like a boomerang with the wind. The lethal falcata spun in the air and destroyed several more minions before returning to the knight's hand.

Across the lawn, Quinton fought his own enemies using a dual wielding fighting style, much like a duelist of old. As each spriggan approached and committed an attack, Quinton would either deflect the blow with his sickle, or use it to disarm the foe to leave it open for a counter-attack with the short sword. Before any of the other spriggan warriors could get a feel for their enemy's fighting style, the Spring Knight charged both his weapons with the surging lightning of a Spring thunderstorm and unleashed it on the minions in a blinding thunderclap.

Goraak stumbled back from the momentary thunder and lightning before turning to witness Connor wiping out the rest of the spriggans. The Summer Knight moved with confident determination and slashed aside the dark fey with powerful aggressive blows of his red hot blade. For a moment, the satyr trembled at the young knight's fiery wrath witnessing Connor glow as brilliantly as the summer sun before sweeping aside the last of the spriggans with another searing slash. As the crowd of spriggans fell to the knights' onslaught, they simply dissolved into dark wispy clouds of evil magic.

"And now that just leaves you, goat boy!" Connor called out in a challenge while leveling his blade toward the monster. "It's over for you!"

"You're wrong Summer Knight," Goraak snorted as he sheathed his weapon and fell back on all fours. "I'll be back... and when I do, the rest of our host will crush you and the Four Faerie Courts!"

Before any of the other knights could respond, the satyr warrior took off in a hasty retreat and faded into the shadows of dusk that had now fallen over Somerset Valley.

Connor growled and lowered his red hot sword while his other friends gathered around to regroup. With the battle over, the knights' armor dispelled, reverting them back to their original civilian forms.

"Wow... what a rush," Quinton exclaimed while a stunned look remained plastered on his face, "Did we really just summon some kind of magic power and take those monsters down? I mean... this is like some wild King Arthur kinda stuff going on here."

Noelle glanced at the ring on her finger, "No... more like Faerie magic. That monster mentioned Faerie Courts and called us... Hibernian Knights?"

Connor furrowed his brow, "A Roman term. Hibernia refers to ancient Ireland... all this stuff... it's got something to do with Celtic folklore, and it's all getting more real by the minute."

"This is totally absurd you know," Laura cut in. The English girl had an indignant tone in her voice, "You mean to tell me that all the old fairy tales that my Mum read to me are now running loose here? What kind of insane country is this?"

"A country that won't last very long if we don't figure out what's going on," Connor said turning back toward campus town, "Come on... we've got to hurry and get back to the antique shop."

The four students exchanged a tense look before hurrying back to the shop, all while praying that the spriggans didn't claim a victim for themselves.

* * *

To their relief, they returned just in time to see the lights of several police cars gathered around the antique shop. Out front of the shattered storefront stood an exhausted looking Kristen. While she gave a statement to some of the officers, the young Druid leaned on her staff and gave the impression that she had simply pulled an antique walking stick from a corner to fight off the invaders. She had a small cut on the side of her brow, most likely from some stray glass that had sprayed in the melee and a paramedic stood by to put a small dressing on it when she was done with the cops.

When she spotted the four students, she gave a surprised look as they approached her, "Connor? I thought I told you and your friends to get to safety... I... where are the rings?"

"Uh... about that," Connor said nervously as he and others held up their hands to show the rings on their fingers. Kristen simply stared in shock and confusion. For a moment, it looked like her eyes were going to bug out of her head before she regained her composure and lowered her voice.

"Did anything happen when you put those on?"

Noelle cringed with a slightly nervous look on her face, "Uh oh. Were we not supposed to do that?"

Laura crossed her arms and sighed, "Assuming I haven't become a complete nutter just now, the rings summoned some magic swords and armor for us. Some goat man named Goraak tried to kill us so we fought back."

Kristen stood speechless for a moment before shaking her head in disbelief, "I can't believe this is happening..."

Moments later, a young well dressed man who was also in his thirties came over and put his arms around her in a relieved hug, "Kristen, thank God you're okay."

The four teens looked closer and saw that the handsome dark haired man had a police badge fixed to his belt. Kristen let go and gestured toward the four students, "Damon, these are some new friends of mine, students from the school. Everyone, this is my boyfriend Detective Damon Pierce."

Damon gave a quick nod to greet the kids while keeping his face neutral, "Hi. I don't suppose any of you were in the area and saw what happened?"

"Sorry Detective," Quinton lied, "We just came now to check on Miss Bloom when we heard the store got attacked."

Damon nodded and turned back to his girlfriend, "Okay. Why don't you just sit tight right now. We're going to tape off your store and make sure no one trespasses. We're going to need everyone to clear the area so we can do a full sweep. Stay safe, alright?"

Kristen nodded with an innocent look and kissed Damon's cheek before seeing him off, "You too. I'll call you later."

After Damon left to join the other policemen, Connor cleared his throat and faced his employer, "Kristen... there are druids, goatmen, and faeries running all over our town. I think it's time you told us what's going on around here."

The druid looked to the new four knights and nodded slowly before using her wooden staff to gesture down the block. "All right. It's getting late so let's all head over to O'Doyle's Pub for dinner. We can sit down, eat, and then I'll tell you everything."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **If anyone is curious about the design of the heroes' armor and you need a visual, it's heavily based on the armor of the 2nd Age Elven soldiers from the Lord of the Rings. I thought it was pretty cool and badass. Hopefully you do too ;)  
**


	3. Geas

**Episode 2: Part 1  
**

The sounds of clinking glasses and the smell of food wafted through the air as the knights entered the warm Irish restaurant-pub. Although the place was located in a modern campus town, it still had a bit of a traditional Old World feel to it. The booths and paneling of the pub were made of dark wood and the walls lining the interior of the building were made of brick. Several lamps hung from above casting a warm inviting light around the pub and several fellow students were already busy enjoying their free time there. Several people were eating dinner while a few upperclassmen were off in a corner throwing darts or laughing over some beers. Over near the entrance, hung a chalkboard listing "O'Doyle's Rules" to not to be an obnoxious bar patron.

When they entered, a pretty young female student with dark hair hurried up and greeted Connor with a relieved look. She was a shorter girl in dark skinny jeans and a casual green sweater, "Hey Walsh! Are you okay? I just heard there was a crazy monster attack not too far from here."

The Summer Knight smiled and exchanged a fist bump with the girl, "Don't worry Eliza, I'm okay. I'm just glad to see you're safe too."

Turning to his friends, Connor gestured over, "Everyone, this is a good friend of mine, Eliza McConnel. She's a Performing Arts major here and she sometimes plays a few gigs at this pub on the weekends. Mostly Irish folk stuff on her guitar. She's great!"

She gave him a friendly nudge in the arm and winked to the others, "Aw, come on. I've got a good accompanist. Every once in a while, Connor here will play along with me on his fiddle during the performances too."

Noelle couldn't help but give him an impressed smile, "Really? I had no idea you played the violin."

He gave a sheepish shrug, "Eliza here makes sure I stay sharp so I'll get strong-armed into playing backup for her every once in a while."

He turned to his friend and tilted his head toward the knights, "Hey Eliza, think we can catch up later? I've gotta take care of something kinda important with some of my other friends here."

As Eliza nodded and said her goodbyes, a portly late middle aged man in a green plaid shirt walked over to the doorway and everyone except Laura recognized him as the unusually reticent and reserved pub owner, Sean O'Doyle. He gave a sympathetic nod and shook Kristen's hand, "Kristen… everything okay? Just heard about your shop."

Kristen gave a tired nod, giving her older friend and fellow business owner a smile, "Thanks Sean. I'm okay. Seems like there's been some random monster attack on campus and the police are looking after my store."

The restaurant owner seemed to give a knowing look before frowning to himself, "Hmm. Seems to happen in other parts of the country… just didn't think here would be one of em. Glad no one else got hurt."

"Do you think you can find a quiet place for me and these students to talk tonight? It's kinda important," Kristen said.

Mr. O'Doyle, ever a man of few words, nodded and gestured them toward a quiet secluded round table at the other side of the restaurant. "I'll get some food on."

The party of five took their seats but not before Laura gave a dismayed look and wiped her chair down with a handkerchief first, "Of all the dreadful bars on campus… it had to be an Irish one."

Connor rolled his eyes and turned back to his boss, "Okay Kristen, you had asked me before if I believed in all the old legends and fairy tales. Well, I sure as hell do now so just what is going on here?"

The young Druid glanced around the room and lowered her voice as she addressed the four teens, "If what that messenger pixie said is true, then our world is in great danger again."

"From who?" Noelle asked hesitantly.

Kristen narrowed her eyes, "Balor... an ancient evil. He is a monstrous warlord and king of the Fomorian Host."

Quinton chewed his lip, "Fomorian… that kinda sounds familiar."

Connor nodded, "According to Celtic legend, they were a monstrous race of evil creatures. Some say they came from underground while others say they came from the sea."

"And just how do you know all this stuff?" Laura cut in with a raised eyebrow.

Connor shrugged with a smile, "I'm going to school to become an English teacher. We have to read a boatload of classic literature as part of the curriculum."

Kristen cleared her throat, "The Fomorians are very real, but so are the forces that opposed them… the Four Elven Courts of the Faerie Realm."

Laura eyed her ring thoughtfully while a server came and brought some soft drinks and appetizers to the table, "I suppose this is where our rings come into play?"

The Druid waited for the server to leave and gave a guarded look, "The Four Faerie Courts are ruled by the race of the High Elves, or the Sidhe. Each of the courts govern one of the four seasons. The two strongest courts are Summer and Winter. Spring and Autumn were once their vassals, but they still maintain those ancient ties."

Now it made some sense why the rings of Summer and Spring were gold while the rings of Winter and Autumn were silver. Kristen leaned forward and continued.

"Long ago, the Fomorian Host invaded our world and wanted to use it as a staging ground to invade the Faerie Realm. The Four Courts united together to fight them, except they did so in an unusual way… they had the humans fight the war for them."

Everyone gave confused looks as she went on, "The Sidhe are proud and fickle beings who didn't want to fight and die over this world, and they didn't want to commit more than the others were willing either."

"Sounds like a really crappy alliance to me," Quinton muttered while Kristen smiled ruefully.

"In order to keep from losing face, each of the Four Courts poured some of their powers into your rings and gave them to great human warriors to fight on their behalf. Those heroes belonged to a great Irish tribe called the Tuatha De Dannan… or literally, the Tribe of the goddess Danu."

Noelle mulled it over in her head, "Okay… so you're saying these magic rings have the power to turn us into warriors with Elven armor and weapons. I'm hoping this Balor guy doesn't have some kind of evil One Ring to rule them all… does he?"

Kristen laughed gently as she took a few french fries from the platter, "No. There's no Tolkien here, so fortunately that part is pure fiction."

From where she sat at the table, Laura crossed her arms, "That still doesn't explain what you were doing with the rings Miss Bloom… or your magic stick… or this Druid business."

Kristen nodded and passed the food to the others, "After Balor and his Host were thrown back into the Underworld by the Tuathan heroes, the Knights entrusted the rings to the wise druids of their tribe. That same order of Druids lives on to this day as the Order of the Juniper Circle. It's a secret organization and those of us who belong to it make it our mission to protect the rings and help guard against the Fomorian threat. Part of that task fell to my family, and now it falls to me."

Noelle looked curiously around the room, "Um… are there any other Druids around here, besides you?"

At that moment, Mr. O'Doyle ambled over and put out some plates of grilled sandwiches causing Kristen to pat his shoulder and give a smile toward Noelle, "You're looking at another one right here."

The four teens stared in shock at the unlikely hidden identity of the older restaurant owner. He raised an eyebrow as Kristen gestured to the table, "Sean, it seems we have some new allies. I'd like to introduce you to the new Tuathan Knights."

Mr. O'Doyle studied the young people for a long moment. A brief look of bemused surprise crossed the normally stoic face of the pub owner.

"I know… I wasn't exactly counting on this to happen either, but we'll have to make do," Kristen said with a placating tone. O'Doyle gave a sigh, nodded and turned back toward the bar, returning to work.

Connor sat staring at his sandwich for a moment before turning back to his employer, "I can't say I really blame Mr. O'Doyle for being skeptical. Hell, the four of us aren't warriors and we don't know anything about magic or medieval combat either."

Kristen folded her hands, "Then you'll have to learn, and I'll teach you what I can. Until then, the magic of the rings will have to get you through."

"Maybe I don't want to be some kind of mystic warrior," Laura answered as she tried to remove the ring… except she couldn't. She gasped in mild panic as she found that it was stuck tight on her finger. "What? What kind of bloody witchcraft is this?"

Kristen patiently crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat, "Faerie witchcraft actually. I didn't have a chance to mention that with those rings comes a _geas_ … or an enchantment which compels you to fulfill a certain duty. In this case, you must all commit to fighting off the Fomorian threat and sealing Balor in the Underworld again. Do this and the rings will give you strength."

Quinton blanched slightly, "And if we don't?"

Kristen fixed a serious glare at him, "Then you'll likely be cursed to waste away and die so that the ring can be used by a more worthy hero. That's how these _geas_ spells tend to work anyway."

The four knights exchanged uneasy looks before Connor cleared his throat. "All right… if that's what it's going to take to free ourselves, then I'll do it."

The others agreed with apprehensive nods before Quinton scratched his chin, "You know… during the battle, Noelle mentioned that we were kinda like Power Rangers too. If we're going to be a team, don't you think we should decide who and what we are?"

Noelle pondered the question a moment and gave a hopeful smile, "Oh! I know! Maybe we could be the Faerie Rangers?"

Connor exchanged a dismayed look with Quinton before putting a hand on Noelle's shoulder, "Let's save it for later and give it some more thought… maybe something that doesn't sound so… er, girly?"

Noelle gave a small pout of mild disappointment while Laura simply rolled her eyes and muttered quietly to herself, "Criminy… I'm surrounded by idiots."

At that moment, Kristen cleared her throat and addressed the table again, "Right now, the important thing is for us to regroup and prepare a rescue effort for a fellow Druid… a good friend of mine named Deirdre Finn. That messenger pixie had said she was taken captive by the Fomorians, remember?"

Quinton thought it over while he took a bite of his meal, "Okay, I guess… except there's one big problem. Where do we even know where to start looking? Somerset Valley is a big place."

The Druid grinned and pulled a plastic baggie from her purse, "Not to worry. The spriggans who attacked my shop left us a clue."

Inside the little zip-lock bag was a couple of leaves and a loose clump of soil. Kristen gave a self satisfied smirk and tucked it away to continue her meal, "Those monsters tracked some specific kinds of leaves and dirt into the shop so we can use it to home in on their previous location. With any luck, Deirdre might be there too."

Laura took a sip of her soda and blinked in surprise, "Are you actually saying that you can find out the exact location where a clump of leaves and dirt originated from?"

Noelle nudged her younger classmate lightly in the shoulder, "She's a Druid, remember? I'd be more surprised if she didn't know anything about nature."

From where he sat at the table, Connor took a deep breath and addressed his fellow knights as well as their new mentor. "Alright. From here on out, we're going to have to work together whether we like it…"

He glanced to Laura pointedly before finishing, "Or not. It's the only way we're going to figure out what's going on around here and it's the only way we're going to survive too. We're no good to the people of Somerset Valley or each other if one of us gets killed."

The others gave reluctant nods and the five began to eat their meal, using the time to finish with introductions while getting familiar with the idea of their new "team."

* * *

Torchlights flickered along the dark cave walls of the Fomorians' underground prison. As the shadows continued to dance along the edges of the cavern walls, the monstrous warlord-king Balor sat alone in his throne room. While he sat, he focused his senses into the baleful demon eye which glowed from within his left eye socket. The Evil Eye pulsed with malevolent energy as the warlord tried to manipulate the chaotic magic to glimpse into the future. His Fomorian army was still imprisoned under the earth, chipping away at the Sidhe wards that kept them trapped there. If the Fates were kind, perhaps they would reveal a way for Balor to speed up the process and continue his war against the Faerie Realm without resorting to sending one monster at a time.

Long minutes passed and some blurry images of humanoid figures began to take shape in his mind's eye. Amid the swirling chaos magic in his eye, the image slowly began to focus when his concentration was broken by the sounds of his guards escorting someone inside.

The warlord snarled and opened his good eye to see one of his scouts, the dark satyr warrior Goraak. The elite spriggan guards nodded and left the throne room in silence while the beastman bowed in fearful reverence, "My Lord Balor… I have returned from the surface world."

"And what news to you bring satyr?" came the tense growl of Balor, "Did you find the pixie?"

"No… no my lord," Goraak mumbled in humiliation, "The pixie got away, but I'm afraid I ran into some resistance."

Balor fumed and silently fixed his good eye on the cowering subject while gripping the armrest of his throne.

"The Hibernian Knights have returned… young Tuathan warriors who wield the weapons of the Fey Courts."

Balor tightened his grip on the throne while Goraak trembled in fear of the terrible Fomorian king. After a long pause, Balor asked, "You are telling me that you let the pixie escape… and that you were scared off by some children in Elven armor?"

The satyr swallowed and decided that lying or passing blame would be useless at this point, "I… uh… yes, Lord Balor."

Balor studied Goraak curiously for a moment, then sat back calmly in his seat. "Very well Goraak. If there is resistance, then go and eliminate it."

Goraak gulped, "Then you're not going to punish me?"

Balor gave a cruel smile before closing his eyes to meditate again, "If you do end up being destroyed at the hands of these new knights, then that will be punishment enough. No go!"

* * *

The next morning, Noelle Moreau sat in the dining hall of the dormitory eating an early Sunday breakfast. She gave a yawn and stirred some chopped up fruits into a bowl of yogurt before she stopped and glanced at the silver ring on her finger. Considering the unreal events of the prior day, Noelle hadn't gotten much sleep. She had replayed the events of the battle over and over again and she still couldn't believe it had really been her doing all that. She wasn't some courageous warrior who swung magic swords or battled legendary monsters. She was just Noelle, a shy average girl who dreamed of becoming a veterinarian one day. She didn't want to kill monsters. She wanted to treat sick and injured animals instead.

As she stirred her food, she couldn't help but think of the geas tied to the ring. It was a blessing and a curse. On one hand it would protect her and give her power, but it also had to power to take her life if she abandoned her mission to protect Somerset Valley. The idea frightened her and she wondered if the ring was right to choose her. Surely if it had already granted her the powers of the Autumn Knight, it must have thought she was capable enough. Still, a creeping feeling of dread hung over her as she wondered what lay ahead for her fellow knights today. After breakfast, they were to meet Kristen to try and track down the missing Druid.

When she looked up, she was surprised to see Connor and Quinton approach the table and sit down across from her with their own breakfast trays. They were both still wearing pajama pants and looked a bit bleary eyed. The Summer Knight clad in red rubbed his eyes and yawned, "Noelle? What are you doing here?"

"I live here now," she replied in amusement, "I was in a different dorm last year, but I switched residence halls. I'm in the women's wing on the floor just below you guys. Quinton didn't tell you yesterday?"

"Uh… oops?" the Spring Knight shrugged in slight embarrassment. "To be fair, there was a lot of other craziness going on yesterday, you know?"

Connor waved it off and began to dig into some scrambled eggs and bacon, "Forget it. If anything, it's good we're all in the same place. It'll make things easier for us to coordinate and stay together now."

As the Summer Knight finished his sentence, he glanced up and nearly choked on his food. He abruptly froze and the others turned to see Laura approach their table with her own tray of carefully selected breakfast items. The English girl stopped just short of the table and inspected it before sitting down beside Noelle, "Well, I have to say this is preferable to that pigsty of a bar from yesterday."

Quinton blinked again, "Wait… Laura, you live in this dorm too?"

The fair haired Winter Knight stirred some sugar into a cup of tea and primly took a sip, "Yes, of course."

"I don't remember you mentioning that yesterday at O'Doyle's either," Connor frowned.

Laura regarded him coolly and gave a slightly patronizing sigh, "Because I didn't. The topic never came up and I didn't feel the need to mention it."

Noelle cast an uncertain look to Quinton across the table and he shrugged.

The Summer Knight suppressed a grumble and poked at the food on his plate, "All right then Laura, are you still up for coming with us to meet Kristen today? The sooner we figure out what's going on, the sooner we can get these stupid rings off our fingers."

Laura took another sip of tea and shrugged, "I suppose I have no choice. Though, might I make a suggestion?"

The other three fell silent and looked expectantly toward Laura before she put down her tea and spoke again, "The rest of you may want to clean yourselves up and put on some presentable clothing. If we're going to be knights, we may as well start conducting ourselves like them… starting with proper decorum."

Her miniature lecture was punctuated as Connor took a large gulp of his orange juice and made on audible burp, just to stick it back to her. Laura simply shook her head with a disgusted frown as Quinton stifled a chuckle and Noelle looked on in quiet dismay, "Ugh… savages."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Before I forget, I want to give a big shout-out and thank you to _TVFanWriter_ for her OC, Eliza McConnel. She was a runner-up in the contest and I thought Eliza was so cool, I had to give her a guest role as an ally, so rock on Eliza!**


	4. Four Swords, One Heart

**Episode 2: Part 2  
**

Later that day, after dressing and "cleaning up" the four gathered at the antique shop and met with their new Druid mentor outside. To everyone's amusement, they also saw that Noelle had traded in her scorched beret for a stylish orange knitted wool cap. After taking a short stroll to the park where the teens had battled the spriggan raiders the other day, they watched as Kristen laid out the leaves and dirt collected in her baggie. The Druid spoke a quiet incantation and waved her staff over it before the small emerald on the top of it began to glow. Kristen raised the staff and closed her eyes while focusing deeply. After a long silence, she opened her eyes and said, "Alright, I know exactly where to go. Come with me."

She led them to her car and the knights took a short drive across town to the other end of Somerset Valley. Eventually, they reached a shady forest preserve in a quieter area of the valley just outside of the urbanized areas. After piling out of the car, they began to take a stroll through a forested walking path with Kristen leading the way. As they ambled down the wooded trail, the four admired the changing autumn colors and the way that the golden light of the sun streamed through the leaves.

A cool breeze blew and Quinton sighed to himself, "Well... this isn't so bad, right? Just a nice scenic walk in the woods."

Kristen glanced over idly toward her younger charges, "Keep your eyes and ears open everyone. The fey are tricky creatures who have strong connections to nature. You never know when they could be hiding in the brush or listening to us talk."

After leading them to a small meadow, the knights fanned out to take a closer look around. While they searched the area for clues, Connor walked near Noelle and gave a hopeful look to the trees,

"Hey Noelle, if you've got the Autumn ring here, do you think you have any special powers that can help us out right now? Maybe like blowing away some of these piles of fallen leaves?"

She shrugged and gave an apologetic look, "I wish I could. I honestly don't even know how any of our rings are supposed to work yet, do you?"

The Summer Knight shook his head, "No... I guess you've got a point there."

"I will say this though," Noelle mused while admiring her ring and then the trees, "At least the ring is right for me. This is my favorite season after all."

Connor graced her with an encouraging smile, "That's the right attitude. I think we're all a little scared about this magic stuff, but we might as well try to be optimistic and find the silver lining where we can, right?"

The two friends' conversation was interrupted as Quinton gave an alarmed call from the opposite end of the meadow. The others all rushed over and saw him standing over a messy pile of fallen leaves and dirt. To their shock, they saw that amid the leaves looked to be a group of freshly charred bones... perhaps skeletal remains?

"Oh my..." Laura murmured in genuine shock while Connor and Noelle stood gaping in silent shock at the possible charred corpse in front of them. Kristen immediately pushed past and used the magic of her staff to brush aside more of the leaves. It was hard to make out, but the frame of the body looked smaller, possibly female. Everything else was scorched beyond recognition except for a charred silver medallion near the neck. It was an intricate pattern with rings, probably or Celtic origin.

"Deirdre... no..." Kristen moaned with growing pain and anguish in her voice while she pulled out her own Druid medallion that she wore around her neck. This had been one of her good friends and a fellow Druid of their order. She clutched her staff tightly and took several deep breaths to try and calm her emotions. "We're too late."

Connor glanced over and gave his new mentor a sympathetic look, "I'm really sorry Kristen..."

The young Druid wiped her eyes for a moment before everyone heard a voice from nearby.

"Yes... it is unfortunate that blood was spilled. You have my condolences Druid."

The knights all whirled around and saw a regal looking figure gracefully emerge from the golden yellow leaves of some nearby bushes. He was a tall male dressed in an impressive hauberk of golden armor with stylized leaves along the arms and the cuirass. A deep red cape hung from his shoulders and trailed along the leafy ground. The man had beautiful fair features and long pale gold hair which was worn loose. From the warrior's hair, the knights could see his ears were long and pointed.

Kristen glanced over and immediately bowed her head in respect, "Lord Gwydion ... thank you. I... didn't expect to see you here."

The fey warrior ambled over with an almost indifferent air and glanced at the remains of Deirdre Finn. "My soldiers know a band of spriggans had been through here recently. We guessed the Druid here was a victim of the Fomorians. There has also been talk that Balor has returned."

"We have reason to believe that is true," Kristen replied while gesturing over to the four students, "These four brave men and women have just taken up the Tuathan rings to challenge them."

The Elven warrior glanced over and regarded the four college students coolly while Kristen made an introduction, "Everyone, this is Gwydion, a Sidhe lord of the Summer Court. He is a Warden of the Golden Woods around Somerset Valley and a longtime ally to our druidic order.

The Elven lord waited expectantly until the four awestruck students made small bowing gestures of respect. "If these are to be the successors of the Tuathan Knights, they still have much to learn."

Kristen bowed her head, "Please forgive them Lord Gwydion. They are young, but I promise they will learn quickly."

Gwydion nodded toward Kristen, "If Balor has truly returned, then your order must move quickly to prepare a defense for the mortal world. I will bring word to the rulers of Summer and Spring so that we can secure our realm."

"Excuse me my lord, but what about the Courts of Winter or Autumn?" Laura asked stepping forward with her head bowed, "Won't you warn them too?"

Gwydion wrinkled his features, "Make no mistake child, even if the threat of Balor is upon us, we Elves of Summer do not place our trust in the Sidhe of Winter or her vassals. They have always been our ancient rivals and enemies."

"I don't understand," Noelle said speaking up, "I thought the Four Courts had come together once to fight Balor."

Kristen cleared her throat, "There's a delicate balance of power in the Faerie Realm. The Four Courts maintain a very tense peace and alliances between the various monarchs and lords can be a bit... volatile."

"Does this mean that we're going to be on our own again in fighting off these Fomorians?" Connor asked incredulously, "Isn't there any way to ask the Sidhe Courts for help?"

Gwydion walked over toward Connor and stopped in front of the young man. The Elf warrior studied him for a long moment before a small smile crossed his lips. "Your ring… you wield the power of the Summer Court?"

"I uh… I think so," Connor replied timidly.

Gwydion maintained his amused expression, "Tell me Sir Knight, what is your name?"

Connor glanced hesitantly toward Kristen and saw her nod. He knew that in the legends of old, it could be dangerous business to give true names to supernatural beings. "Connor… Connor Walsh."

Gwydion nodded and tilted his head, "To suggest treating with the Sidhe nobles yourselves? Your words are bold Sir Connor… foolhardy, but bold."

The Summer Knight frowned slightly but Gwydion smiled, "I meant no insult Sir Knight. You simply share the forceful spirit of the Summer Court and I can respect that. Perhaps there may be a way to petition an audience with its rulers, King Oberon and Queen Titania."

The others remained silent while Gwydion began to pace around them, "You four knights know that many of my kind are very proud... but if you were to prove yourselves worthy of the Faerie Courts' attention, perhaps they may be willing to listen and heed your words."

"All right," Laura said as she crossed her arms, "How are we supposed to do that? Slay a vile dragon, or rescue a sleeping princess or something?"

The Elven warrior smirked and shook his head, "That I cannot tell you my lady. You will have to do that for yourselves. All I can do, is show you is how to blaze your own path forward."

He took Connor's hand and raised up the ring, "These are the four Destiny Rings forged by my people. They each contain unique powers in their own right, but together, they are complete, just as four separate seasons become one in a year. If you wish to fight the Fomorians and prove yourselves worthy, then you need to know how to call upon your weapons and armor. Speak the Gaelic word of change. Speak the word, Athru."

Noelle studied her ring and smiled, "So that's how we become like Power Rangers?"

Gwydion sighed and shrugged, "I suppose if that's what you people call your heroes nowadays. When we originally crafted the equipment, we didn't totally account for your human lack of Elven grace and agility."

As the four knights listened to the Elf's words, Kristen felt her phone vibrate and she saw that it was a message from Damon. She answered it and turned to the knights, "Everyone, we have to get back into town. The Fomorians have returned and that satyr is wreaking havoc."

She glanced at Gwydion and the Sidhe noble gave a level nod, "I will watch over your friend's remains for now. Do not worry."

"Thank you," Kristen said as she grabbed her car keys.

Gwydion gave one more look toward the young heroes and wore a very neutral expression, "I wish you luck young ones. You're going to need it… but for your sake, I will be hoping you succeed."

A slight gust of wind blew, kicking up the autumn leaves and the knights blinked in surprise as Gwydion completely disappeared from sight. Quinton wrinkled his features and sighed, "Well… that was one of the nicest backhanded compliments I've ever gotten."

"Let's just be glad he's sorta on our side," Connor said clapping his friend's shoulder, "Come on, Goraak is calling us out for a rematch."

Noelle grimaced slightly, "Do we really have to do this again?"

"We might as well follow the laws of nature now," Laura answered grimly, "Kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest and all that, yes?"

"Cut the chatter everyone," Kristen called as she led them back towards her car, "Let's just hope Charles Darwin will be on our side today."

* * *

Back in the small city of Somerset Valley, the satyr warrior Goraak began to make his way through one of the public parks along with a small band of spriggan troops. As they advanced, they smashed public property and ruined the gardens, all while terrorizing civilians who were unable to get away. One such civilian was a young man in a tracksuit who cowered as the satyr grabbed him and violently lifted him off his feet.

"Please! Please don't hurt me!" the captive sobbed, "I'll do whatever you want!"

"Oh, don't worry. I won't hurt you," Goraak snorted as he tossed the man aside and into some bushes, "Much."

The Fomorian scout stopped in his tracks as he looked up and spotted four familiar figures rush into the park and bar his path. The satyr drew his hatchet and gave another sniff, "Well… if it isn't the imposters."

"No," Connor shouted back as he stepped forward into the lead, "You said it yourself goat-breath. We're the Hibernian Knights!"

He stopped to glance at his ring a moment before looking to his comrades, "Everyone, we might not exactly be Power Rangers, but we're going to act just like them now and do what's right. We've got a duty to do that now."

Laura stepped up beside him to help lead the charge while giving a grim smile, "Leave it to a Yank to make tall boasts and charge headfirst into a fight… but for once, I'll have to agree. I'm with you."

The Spring and Autumn Knights each gave a nod and stepped up beside their respective ally.

"And you can count us in too," Quinton added as he mustered his own courage.

The Knights' rings began to radiate light as Connor smiled and gestured forward, "All right everyone, this is it. Let's do this!"

"Athru!" the four called as they were swiftly endowed with their enchanted armament once more.

Goraak stamped his hooves and gripped his hatchet with a growl as he saw the four knights draw their swords in unison and give a flourish. They crossed their blades together before raising them all skyward like Musketeers in a rally, "Four Swords, One Heart! Hibernian Knights... To Arms!"

Goraak roared and urged his troops forward, "End them!"

The knights immediately broke formation and rushed forward, scything into the spriggans. Unable to withstand the force of the sudden unified attack, the spriggan platoon broke ranks and retreated as the four heroes shattered the front line with a storm of punishing blows. From the rear line, the satyr warrior stared in shock as the four knights continued surging toward him without breaking stride, all with their weapons aimed directly at him.

The satyr growled and raised his hatchet just in time to block Connor as he made the first attack. Goraak snorted in surprise as his hooves slid back from the force of the Summer Knight's charge and as they locked weapons, Connor turned the tip of his blade inward to nick the monster's face with its red hot tip. The satyr stumbled back giving a furious growl of pain while Quinton swept in low from the side and hooked his sickle on the leg of the monster, tripping him up even more.

Goraak spun sideways, having been completely caught off balance, but he made a thrashing motion with his head to try and swipe at the Spring Knight with his horns. His effort was stopped as Noelle darted in and deflected the horns with her curved blade. As the satyr's head was roughly jerked sideways again, the Autumn Knight made a nimble maneuver and twisted her blade around to strike the hatchet out of the monster's hands.

Now disarmed and vulnerable, Goraak looked up in surprise as Laura charged from the other flank and unleashed a blinding flurry of stinging thrusts with her rapier. A cloud of snow and ice erupted and threw the monster back on his heels, leaving him momentarily stunned and blinded from all the piercing wounds. As the icy cloud began to subside, Goraak watched in horror as a glowing red blade pierced the fog and caught the light of the sun as it was raised high. The Summer Knight charged through the steam and brought his blade down on the monster for a killing blow, bisecting the satyr clean down the center.

Goraak gave a stifled snarl as the red hot Elven scimitar came down and reduced him to a cloud of dark smokey magic. The red knight stood watching as the last flaming remains of the monster fell and burned away before he slowly sheathed his own sword. While the others gathered round, they stood in stunned silence at the realization that they had just won a true first victory against a Fomorian monsters.

"Connor... you did it," Quinton said with a faint laugh of giddy relief.

"No... we did it," the Summer Knight said as he turned to his allies and relaxed his stance.

Noelle took a moment to look around the battlefield and tilted her head, "So... where do we go from here?"

Laura turned and sheathed her rapier while walking slowly back toward the campus, "I say we go to celebrate a well earned victory. Don't you?"

* * *

Later that day, the Hibernian Knights gathered together at O'Doyle's Pub with Kristen to celebrate their first spectacular victory as a unified team. Late evening sunlight streamed through the windows of the pub casting a warm glow into the room while an unusually large Sunday crowd of students milled about. While they ate and drank, they were all talking about the four mysterious heroes who had stepped up and fought off the goat monster who threatened Somerset Valley.

While they sat at the table, Quinton gave a thoughtful smile as he listened to the nearby chatter, "You know… I think I could get used to this. People around here think we're pretty awesome."

Across the table, Laura idly wiped down her utensils while half paying attention, "Best not to let it go to your head Quinton. No one likes an uppity braggart."

Beside her, Noelle gently rolled her eyes at the irony of the statement before she gave a bright smile to the others, "I kinda know what Quinton was getting at… Gwydion gave us a lot to think about, and I understand we all have a long way to go, but what we did today… well, it felt really good to help protect others around here, don't you think?"

Kristin smiled as she idly stirred a cocktail drink she had ordered. "Cheers to that Noelle. From now on, you four should know that I'm going to try and help you every step of the way. But for tonight, it's probably best to just enjoy the moment and be happy with the win."

At that moment, Mr. O'Doyle came by with a tray of pub burgers and laid them out. The older taciturn Druid gave the young knights a sidelong look and nodded with the smallest hint of a smile, "Heard about the battle earlier. You kids did good, so burgers on the house."

"Free dinner? Aw, that's the best kind of burger! Thanks Mr. O'Doyle!" Connor grinned as he put one on his plate and prepared to dig in.

Before the hungry Summer Knight could take a bite of his food, he was pulled to his feet by a familiar dark haired female.

"Eliza? What the heck?" he protested. "What are you doing here?"

His musician friend Eliza McConnel grinned and handed him a bow and fiddle while gesturing over toward the fireplace of the pub. He saw a small band of fellow student musicians getting ready to play and provide some live entertainment for the patrons of the pub. "You wanna join us tonight? You and I have already played together and I figured my new little band could use a good fiddler. What do you say?"

"I say I haven't even practiced with you guys yet," Connor pointed out.

Eliza patted his arm with a reassuring laugh, "Relax Walsh, you already know the reels and jigs we're going to play tonight. Come on, it'll be fun."

The Summer Knight cast a look toward his comrades at the table and they all gave smiles and nods of encouragement.

"Oh… all right. Why not?"

Eliza pulled her friend over toward the rest of the band and turned to address the whole pub while holding her own guitar. "Everyone, can I have your attention for a minute?"

The room began to settle down as the patrons turned around to listen in. Eliza cleared her throat, "I uh... know things have been getting a little strange in town recently. I think everyone here's a little scared of these weird monsters that have just started appearing and hurting people. That's why my little band and I want to do something about it tonight. There's a new group of heroes in town to fight those things... so if they're not scared, then neither should we. Tonight, let's just play some music and be glad to be here... together. This one is for those knights."

She nodded toward the band and counted off before they all launched into an upbeat spirited tune. As they played, several people in the pub began to clap in time while Connor also joined in with his own fiddle. From where they sat at the table the other knights and their mentor listened to the reels and shared a few smiles. Even if they were going to keep their identities secret, it was still nice to have their actions recognized by their classmates. There was sure to be a hard struggle ahead, fierce battles to fight, and terrible dangers yet to overcome. But at that moment, they all seemed to sense that with the power of the great fey courts behind them, they'd find a way to make it through... together.


	5. Pride and Prejudice

**Episode 3: Part 1  
**

It had been a little over a week since the town of Somerset Valley had come under attack from the supernatural race of creatures calling themselves Fomorians. It was a bit difficult to imagine that a very real conflict was brewing, one that involved several supernatural factions straight out of Celtic folklore. For four young college students, they were only just beginning to realize how critical their role as the guardians of the mortal world was becoming after having been caught in the crossfire between the ancient Elves of the Faerie Realm, and the cruel monsters who wished to destroy it.

Quinton Wallace coasted down the sidewalk on his longboard as he headed back from class one autumn afternoon. Whenever he wasn't sketching in his free time, he also enjoyed the feeling of freedom from skateboarding. After trying to come to terms with becoming some "magic knight" and understanding the unreal battles he had fought recently, he needed something to restore his frame of mind and his sense of normalcy. Plus... his Sociology classes were on the other end of campus so it was a perfect excuse to go boarding.

It was a nice clear day and he wasn't in any rush to get back to the dorm so he decided to take a little detour by the college's fitness center. While he boarded by the gym and the adjacent field for some outdoor sports, he stopped when he caught sight of a familiar face on the tennis courts. He hopped off his board and ambled over toward the edge of the tennis courts where a small crowd had gathered. To his surprise, he saw his fellow knight Laura Gremory on the court bouncing a tennis ball and preparing to serve.

The Winter Knight stood facing off against another freshman boy in a singles match, but she stood with calm confident poise. The blonde haired girl wore an expression of cold calculating focus mixed with the air of superiority that she had given off when she met Quinton. Like her "casual" clothes, Laura was dressed in an expensive white sports top over a short blue tennis skirt making her look like she belonged at Wimbeldon.

Laura eyed her opponent across the court and called out, "This is your last chance to walk away Ben. I hardly broke a sweat and I'd hate to humiliate you even more here."

Her opponent glowered, "Come on princess. Just serve the damn ball already."

"As you wish," Laura said smashing a powerful serve across the court. The young man dashed sideways and barely returned the serve, except he wasn't expecting the amount of topspin Laura put on the ball. The ball popped up high in a gentle arc as Laura charged the net and smashed it back down on her opponent for a final kill shot.

The other students who were watching gave impressed cheers and applause as Laura brushed her hair aside and walked off the court with a smug smile. While her opponent skulked off and the crowd dispersed, Quinton hurried up to his fellow knight and gave an amazed smile, "Wow Laura, that was awesome! Where did you learn to play like that?"

The Winter Knight walked alongside him and regarded him cooly, "I'm a champion tennis player Quinton. I've been playing my whole life. Since I came to the States three years ago, I've been ranked in the upper tier of players here in Massachusetts. Surely you'd know that?"

"Err... no. Sorry," Quinton admitted sheepishly, "I actually don't follow tennis."

Laura gave a mildly dismissive sniff towards him, "Pity. I thought you might know someone else I could compete against. I'm in awful need of a real challenge."

Quinton tilted his head curiously, "So that guy you just played wasn't good either?"

The English girl smirked toward the Spring Knight and walked off towards the women's locker rooms, "Sadly no. He thought he was better than he was so I figured he ought to learn his place."

Quinton stood in surprise for a long moment before shaking his head and getting back on his skateboard. As beautiful and powerful as Laura seemed to be, it seemed she was just as harsh and intimidating. For now, he decided it was probably a good thing they were fellow guardians who were both on the same side... kind of.

* * *

Kristen Bloom stood in the twilight of the woods just outside of Somerset Valley. As this was an official meeting, she wore a long green Druid robe and stood holding her wooden staff. As the early evening chill of autumn began to set in, Kristen took a deep breath and looked to the Elder Council of Juniper Circle Druids who stood in a wide ring around her. All the Elders had their hoods up to conceal their faces and they took a long moment to consider the words of the young Druid in their presence.

Kristen had answered a summons from the elders of her order to report on the recent Fomorian attack and the appearance of the new Hibernian Knights. After relating her story, she stood in the center of the circle, patiently waiting for instructions.

"This is dark news indeed Sister Bloom," said one of the male elders, "I am sorry you lost your friend Dierdre. She was one of us and we all share in the pain… but she also knew that she had a duty to warn us at all costs."

Kristen solemnly nodded her head at the mention of her friend before another one of the elders continued, "If Balor and his Fomorian warriors have in fact returned, then you've done well in the defense of the town so far."

"Except it's not enough," Kristen replied levelly, "The new knights are very young. They have good hearts, but they're still immature and reckless. I will teach them what I know, but I'm not sure I'm even the right person to do it. I'm still a bit on the young side too."

One of the elder female druids shook her head, "No Sister Bloom. Your family had been entrusted with guarding the rings and we feel there is a reason for it. We will trust your judgment in this matter."

Kristen grimaced in uncertainty, "No pressure, huh? What about getting extra help in this conflict? One of the knights suggested trying to persuade the Four Courts to aid us."

Another elder chimed in, "We will continue to try and get help from our network, but for the time being, we will have to hold the line here. No doubt the Courts will be in an uproar over the news of Balor's return so we'd best wait until they've determined their own course of action first."

"I understand," Kristen nodded in reluctance, "If that's the case, then the knights will need to start training right away. I only hope they'll be able to work together well as a team."

* * *

The next day, the four Hibernian Knights gathered in a park not far from the center of campus town. It was early afternoon and they didn't have classes that went late, so it was decided they get some training in before dinner. The weather was bright and clear and park was surprisingly empty that day too. In a stroke of luck, Kristen had also managed to find a relatively secluded spot for them to practice too. The four teens waited expectantly while dressed in their workout clothes as their mentor gathered four large sticks from the ground.

"Now... one of the first things you should know about fighting your enemies is that faeries are averse to iron... just like vampires hate sunlight and garlic."

Quinton frowned, "But what about our armor and swords? How did the Four Courts make them if they hate iron?"

Kristen smiled, "As far as we know, your armor and weapons are made from a special kind of steel crafted by the fey. Just as effective in fighting them, but in a pinch, you should know that keeping some nails or iron shavings on hand can't hurt either."

Nolle nodded, "Okay, cool... but even if we have weapons, we don't have a lot of experience with them."

Kristen nodded and used her own Druidic magic to turn the sticks into four wooden practice swords, "That's why we're going to work on some basic group combat drills today."

She passed out the swords and called on her staff before taking a defensive stance. "All right, we're going to do this by twos. I want you to learn to charge an enemy and work together while doing it."

Kristen tapped her staff on the ground, "Connor? Laura? Why don't you two start by coming at me?"

The Summer Knight gripped his sword and turned to his comrade, "Okay Laura, I'm going to break right and charge in first so I need you to trust me and get ready with a follow up."

"I beg your pardon," she said flatly, "I do not take orders from a social inferior… especially not from the likes of you."

Connor blinked in confusion before beginning to growl, "What? Who are you calling inferior?"

Laura crossed her arms and turned up her nose with a smirk, "Isn't it obvious? If you had any lick of sense, you'd realize that someone in my position is much better suited to lead the knights' attack."

The Summer Knight stood his ground as he grew more irritated, "Well it's kinda hard to tell that because I haven't seen you do anything remotely impressive yet."

"Connor! Laura! Come on, stop fighting," Noelle pleaded before trying to urge Quinton to back her up. Kristen looked on in surprise while the Summer and Winter Knights continued to bicker.

"The nerve!" Laura seethed, "You have the audacity to insult me like that? We'll settle this with a duel then!"

"Fine by me! It'll be easier than debating," Connor retorted sharply. "How much of a handicap will there be?"

The Winter Knight raised her eyebrow in surprise, "You're already asking me for a favor?"

"No. I wanted to know how much of a handicap I should give you," Connor answered causing Laura to grind her teeth in cold fury from the insult.

That was when Quinton piped up, "Uh, Connor? Are you really sure about this? I don't think it's a great idea."

He began thinking back to witnessing Laura's lightning fast speed and agility on the tennis courts and how that could translate over to the battlefield.

As Kristen approached, she calmly eyed the two feuding knights, "So… we're having a fight over team leadership here?"

"Miss Bloom, do the faerie warriors have any rules and customs when it comes to dueling?" Laura demanded.

"Well… as far as I know, it's not too different than the way we've done things here in the West," their mentor said thoughtfully as she scratched her chin, "As for rules, it's pretty simple. You win by three touches with your weapon, or forcing your opponent to yield."

Connor nodded and extended a hand to his opponent, "Fine then. We meet here at 3 PM tomorrow after classes. Then we'll settle things for good."

Laura met his glare with an icy one of her own while she shook his hand, "Only if Miss Bloom agrees to officiate. She does have the most knowledge about this sort of thing after all."

Kristen rolled her eyes and sighed, "If it'll put this whole stupid conflict to bed, then sure. I'll do it."

The Winter Knight nodded and turned on her heel, heading back toward the dormitory, "Very good. Come along Noelle. I'm going to need a second for this upcoming duel, so until then... I nominate you."

Noelle made a conflicted look while her other two friends replied with understanding nods. The Autumn Knight finally gave a sigh and began to follow her comrade. "Don't worry you guys... I'll try and talk some sense into her."

When the girls left, Kristen gave a shrug and headed for home too, "Well, I guess we'll just have to put off training for another day or two."

Quinton glanced over toward his roommate and shook his head, "Well Connor, you've really done it now. You just had to be stubborn and proud and accept that challenge without even thinking."

"Why? What's the problem?"

Quinton crossed his arms, "Laura is a champion tennis player and fights with a fencing style to boot. She's going to dance rings around you and kick your butt. You didn't know that?"

"Well... no," the Summer Knight sheepishly admitted, "But I'm sure if we put our heads together, we'll think of something."

"We?"

Connor smiled and clapped the Spring Knight on the shoulder, "Of course, because you're going to be my second for this duel."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the deep subterranean caverns of the Underworld, the Fomorian warlord Balor sat upon his iron throne. He was still brooding over the recent defeat of his satyr scout. It was true that in the grand scheme, Goraak was an expendable warrior and an insignificant loss. Still, the very thought that four Hibernian Knights had risen up to challenge him set his temper on edge. Of all times, why now? Just when he was getting close to returning to the mortal world.

He gingerly touched the lid of this iron eyepatch which he wore to contain the malevolent forces within. When the original Knights had thrown him back into the Underworld, the Summer Knight of old had given him that terrible wound and gouged out his eye. He would be certain to return the favor to any of those human warriors who opposed him. First thing was first though. He would need a tougher, more experienced warrior to address this problem. That was when a large monster entered Balor's hall and stopped to bow before the warlord.

He was a barbaric looking warrior in mixed leather armor with rusty red skin and the features of a lizardman crossed with a goblin. On his back, a heavy waraxe was slung along with several small skulls of animals... likely hunting trophies. The cruel looking Fomorian gave a bow as Balor gave a guarded smile.

"Ah... Ogran the Great, chieftain of the kobold tribes. I thank you for coming."

Ogran rose to his feet and said in a raspy voice, "I have come to answer your call Lord Balor. I heard you were in need of an experienced warrior."

The Fomorian warlord nodded, "Yes. I require a warrior who is unmatched in single combat and I understand you are one of them. I have a job for you... enemies who I want you to dispose of."

The kobold chieftain lowered his head and gave a humble gesture, "My tribes have sworn fealty to you. Tell me who I must kill, and I will do it."

The Fomorian warlord grinned as his ruined eye pulsed with malevolent light, "Excellent."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **To answer a Guest reviewer question… Yes. Both Vanguard and Oceania are connected to this series too and I plan to have some characters of both teams make appearances in the future. I won't spoil any more but I think you're going to like the ways things get tied together.**


	6. Fire and Ice

**Episode 3: Part 2  
**

The following morning, Noelle Moreau passed through the busy dormitory lobby and headed out a side door to one of the building's quiet courtyards lined with some shady hedges and flowers. Since she had become a knightly protector of Somerset Valley, the irony was not lost upon her in the way that the layout of the old rustic dormitory resembled a bit of a small castle. In the corner of the brick lined courtyard was a small stone birdbath and a bench for students to relax on. There she found Laura quietly reading a book for her History class. On the cover of the book, she could make out the author's name in bold print: Dr. Gabriel Bishop.

As some birds chirped from the rooftops of the courtyard, Noelle stopped in front of Laura and waited quietly for the Winter Knight to look up. Instead, Laura flipped a page and continued to look unperturbed while she kept reading. Finally, Nolle put her hands on her hips and sighed in mild annoyance, "You're being crazy and unreasonable, do you know that?"

Laura calmly closed her book and set it down before looking up at the Autumn Knight.

"If you're trying to talk me out of fighting that duel, then you're wasting your time. There's pride at stake and no one, especially not a Gremory backs down from a challenge. After all, I am doing this for the good of the whole group."

Noelle shook her head, "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Laura folded her hands primly, "Simple. I will not blindly follow and take direction from a person like Connor, especially if there's some perceived notion that the Summer Court might have some kind of authority over others. He's too forward and reckless and in my mind, doesn't have the proper qualities to lead."

"And you do?" Noelle asked skeptically.

The Winter Knight smiled and rose from the bench before walking over to put an arm around her classmate, "I am the one thinking of others here. I'm doing it for us girls because we have to stick together."

Noelle gave another puzzled look as Laura decided to take another approach at persuasion, "Think about it. You're not just going to let the boys lead and tell you what to do just because they're men, right?"

"I… well, no… but, that's not even a relevant issue here. This is just you and Connor being stubborn."

Seeing that her comrade was not as gullible as she looked, Laura gave a dismissive sigh and headed out of the courtyard, "My dear Noelle, think whatever you like. I'm sure when it comes time for the duel I'll be able to count on your support."

As the English girl departed, the Autumn Knight was left standing by herself in the courtyard before scratching her head again in confusion, "What?"

* * *

Bright rays of sunlight lit up the secluded field as Kristen and the four knights gathered to conduct the duel later that day. Connor and Laura stood facing each other at opposite ends of the field locked in a silent icy glare. Between then, Kristen stood clear holding her Druid staff along with Quinton and Noelle beside her.

"You didn't have any luck either, huh?" Quinton asked the Autumn Knight while he checked his wristwatch.

Noelle gave a discouraged sigh and shook her head, "No. I'm afraid our friends are complete idiots."

Kristen raised her staff and signaled the two combatants forward to about twenty five feet of each other. The Summer and Winter Knights called their armor and drew their swords before taking a ready stance.

"Okay you two. Remember, the round ends when a touch is scored. Three touches with the blade, or forcing your opponent to submit are the conditions for a win. Is that understood?"

Both nodded and Kristen stepped away again, "Good. Keep it clean and try to remember we're all on the same side here, okay?"

Laura gave a fencer's salute with her rapier and sniffed, "A commoner ought to know his place. I hope you'll like being my manservant when we're done with this."

Connor growled and leveled his own sword, "Bring it on ice queen."

The two knights charged forward and locked blades in a powerful opening blow. As a shower of sparks flew, Connor pressed his attack and let loose a furious storm of thrusts and slashes. Just as he maneuvered into position, he thrust his sword to try and strike Laura but the Winter Knight was too agile and quick for him. She easily sidestepped the blow and parried the attack, leaving Connor defenseless. With a backhanded flick of the wrist, Laura sent the Summer Knight spinning to the ground, scoring the first sword blow.

Quinton and Noelle cringed as Connor picked himself up off the ground and shook off the blow, readying himself for round two. Once Kristen gave the signal, both combatants clashed again and the meadow was filled with the sounds of ringing steel. As they exchanged blows, Connor growled while Laura seemed to nimbly dance around his guard as if she were taunting him. Again, she goaded him to over-commit his attack, leaving him off balance.

The Summer Knight gasped as Laura suddenly went on the offensive and blindsided him with a flurry of lighting fast sword thrusts. He barely raised his guard in time to block, but one strike got through and the sheer force of the attack sent him flying backwards in the resulting cloud of elemental ice.

Quinton rushed over to help his stunned roommate as Connor slowly picked himself up off the ground again. "Holy crap Connor! Are you alright? Maybe you should just throw in the towel."

Connor staggered to his feet and cleared the stars from his eyes before gently pushing his friend aside, "No... I'm not just going to roll over and give up."

Laura sniffed and idly twirled her rapier, "You might want to listen to Quinton and save yourself any further humiliation. You're already down 2 nil."

Connor took a deep steadying breath and readied his stance before giving a nod to Kristen. The Druid eyed him for a long moment with uncertainty before nodding and signaling the duel to resume.

The Summer Knight watched his opponent confidently advance, closing in for a kill. As he did, Connor shifted into a defensive stance and waited this time. Laura had fooled him twice, but this time he was going to use her own pride and overconfidence against her. He wasn't going to beat her with speed and agility so he had to adapt.

The Winter Knight snorted in contempt and darted in, driving her rapier forward to strike but Connor shifted his guard to deflect the thrust. As Connor ran his blade down the edge of Laura's weapon, she gasped in surprise from a small shockwave of fire and ice that erupted from the prolonged contact of their blades.

The Winter Knight scrambled to try and recover her footing and lashed out with a backhanded strike to try and clip her enemy. Connor pressed his attack and knocked aside the rapier again, before dropping his shoulder and ramming it into his enemy. While it didn't count as a weapon touch, it surprised Laura and the girl winced in pain as she stumbled to her knees from the armored shoulder-check.

Having been completely caught off guard, Laura panicked and took a wild swing to try and ward off her foe. Again Connor locked blades with her and forcefully parried the rapier, but this time he disarmed her. As the rapier went clattering away, the Summer Knight followed through with the high circular motion of the parry and brought down a blow toward Laura's head. The unarmed Winter Knight gasped in fear as Connor stopped just short of striking her in the forehead, holding his red hot blade just inches from her visor.

Both fighters stood silent and motionless, locked in the position and unsure of what to do now. Connor didn't want to seriously injure his ally and Laura didn't want to admit total defeat, even though she had been caught dead to rights. The duel was immediately interrupted as Kristen pounded her staff into the ground and held up her phone.

"Heads up everyone. I just got a message from the Juniper Order elders. Looks like there's another Fomorian attack starting up across town."

Connor took a deep breath and lowered his sword. To Laura's surprise, he offered a hand and helped her to her feet. "Come on. We've got more important things to worry about today."

Kristen crossed her arms and watched curiously as the four students exchanged a look, then ran off together to confront their newest adversary. Maybe there was still some hope for a semblance of "team" after all. The coming battle would just have to be another trial by fire.

* * *

On the edges of Somerset Valley, a small clamor began to arise from the forested campgrounds just north of the town proper. Several townspeople and college students who had gone to try and get in a few more days of camping before winter scrambled from their tents and trailers as a Fomorian monster stalked through the grounds. The kobold chieftain had emerged from some of the northern caves and began his advance toward the small city with a small company of his spriggan escorts.

The dark faerie foot soldiers growled and chattered as they followed their lizard-like Fomorian leader in destroying the campsites and looting them of valuables. As the spriggans knocked over another large tent and set it on fire, they stopped when they spotted four figures emerge from the smoky haze. The four Hibernian Knights rushed onto the campground after a frantic drive north and they stopped to confront the new threat before them.

"I guess you Fomorians weren't listening the first time," Connor called out to the monsters, "You'd better just walk away now unless you want to end up like your old friend, goat-face."

Ogran snorted in derision, "Goraak was a pathetic warrior and a weaker fool. He couldn't even stand his ground in single combat. That is why Lord Balor sent me to finish what he couldn't."

With that, the monster lashed out with the falchion he was carrying and sliced a nearby tent in half just to make his point.

Noelle narrowed her eyes and readied herself mentally, "All right guys… he doesn't look so tough… whatever he is."

"Lizardman? Goblin King? We don't know what tricks he may have up his sleeve," Quinton pointed out.

"Whoever he is, he's going to be taught a lesson," Laura said assertively while stepping forward and brandishing her ring, "Athru!"

The other knights followed suit and morphed into their own enchanted armor to do battle with the invaders. As they drew their blades and charged forward, Ogran waved his own spriggan troops forward to intercept them. Moments later, the evacuated campground was filled with the ringing sounds of steel from the fierce melee that erupted.

At the forefront of the battle line, both Connor and Laura found themselves neck deep in enemy foot soldiers but their spirited push had opened up a line of attack for their other two comrades. Quinton immediately recognized this and charged forward against Ogran with his short sword and sickle, "Now's our chance! Come on Noelle!"

Noelle hesitantly followed to attack the Fomorian while Connor and Laura fended off the minions. As the Spring Knight charged forward alone, Kobold smirked, "Perfect. Just like that..."

Quinton charged his weapons with elemental thunder and lashed them out to unleash a surging strike on the monster. Ogran raised his large falchion and caught the thunder with the blade before pitching it aside.

"You were foolish to attack me alone Knight," the Fomorian laughed as he swept his blade out with incredible strength. Quinton gasped as he raised his guard and blocked the strike, but the force of the blow was so strong it knocked him off his feet and sent him flying away.

"Quinton!" Noelle gasped in shock as she continued to sprint forward while narrowly avoiding a collision with her friend. Just as Ogran wound up for another blow, the Autumn Knight called upon the autumn winds to lift her into the air for a surprise leaping attack.

Ogran missed with his blade and gave an irritated growl as she attempted to strike from above. "That wasn't much smarter, girlie."

He raised his forearm and deflected the strike, but Noelle's blade still clipped his unguarded arm and wounded him. In a fit of anger, the kobold lashed out with his other arm and backhanded the Autumn Knight aside. "Can't you see? No one can challenge me in single combat!"

While the last of the spriggans were slashed aside in a cloud of fire from Connor, Laura turned her attention to the Fomorian and their two stunned comrades. "This does not look good. We've got to do something!"

The Summer Knight turned to join her and gave a grim nod, "All right… have you got any good suggestions?"

Laura gripped her rapier and thought furiously for a solution until the words of the monster rung a bell. "The Fomorian said he's an expert in single combat… why don't we try double teaming him instead?"

Connor thought it over for a moment and smiled slowly, "Okay. Sounds good... and I think we can pull it off too. I'll lead the charge, but I'll need you to back me up on this."

"I… wait a second… are you sure?"

Connor gripped his sword and drew the attention of the monster, "I trust you Laura. Now let's go!"

Ogran roared and readied himself as Connor charged forward through the autumn leaves with his fiery blade in a low guard. Close behind him, Laura held her sword in a high guard and swiftly followed. Heartbeats later, the Fomorian and Summer Knight clashed and locked blades. While Connor staggered from the force of the impact, he parried the strike aside just wide enough for Laura to sweep in and strike with her own blade.

Ogran roared as a cloud of ice erupted over him and began to slow his movements which allowed Connor a chance to recover his own stance. Each swing of the Fomorian grew less powerful from the debilitating icy magic of the Winter Knight while Connor blocked the strikes with his heavier blade. During each exchange, Laura would maneuver about and hit the monster with devastating flank attacks, further hamstringing the monster.

"No… you cheated," Ogran sputtered as he reeled backward and dropped his weapon.

Both the Summer and Winter Knights turned their blades and delivered a synchronized finishing slash which instantly obliterated the dark warrior in a cloud of steam from the clashing elements.

As they recovered their stances and sheathed their weapons, both Connor and Laura turned to each other and gave a nod, silently acknowledging each others contribution. By then, both Quinton and Noelle had recovered to their feet and hurried over while the others powered down.

"Hey... are you two okay?" Connor asked in concern as Noelle removed her helmet and gave a bright smile.

"We're fine... but, I just wanted to say wow! That was an awesome double team attack you guys just pulled off right there."

"Oh... uh, thanks... but the whole strategy was actually kinda Laura's idea," Connor laughed in relief.

Everyone turned to the Winter Knight and her face grew uncharacteristically red at the sudden attention of the others. She took a calming breath and cleared her throat, trying to recover her composure before walking away from everyone.

"It was nothing... really. Now if you'll excuse me... I uh, I'll see you all tomorrow... maybe."

As she departed the campgrounds, Quinton watched her leave and crossed his arms with a small smile... "Well what do you know? Maybe she isn't so bad after all, huh?"

The Summer Knight frowned to himself and looked to his departing comrade, "Yeah... I wonder."

* * *

The next afternoon, Connor took a walk over toward the campus gym and rec fields just as early evening had begun to set in. Sure enough, he found Laura on the tennis courts... except this time, she was by herself and practicing against a tennis ball machine. As he neared, he watched as she smashed back every single ball that was pitched her way. When she did, it was with an unusual amount of force and aggression, and he couldn't help but wonder if she was blowing off some personal steam.

Eventually, the machine ran out of balls and the exhausted Winter Knight walked over to the sidelines of the court to sit down and rest on a bench. To her surprise, she saw Connor already waiting on the bench while holding out a water bottle… almost like a peace offering.

"Hey... I uh, thought you might be thirsty," he said tentatively.

The younger knight skeptically eyed the bottle for a moment before taking it and sitting down beside him. After she took a deep swig of water, she frowned slightly at the bottle. "I'll be honest. I wasn't expecting to see you this afternoon."

Connor shrugged, "Yeah... Quinton told me you'd probably be here so I figured we should probably talk about our little duel."

"There's nothing to talk about," she sighed wiping her neck with a towel, "I was thinking about it for a long time... and you beat me yesterday, fair and square."

"No. I probably just got lucky. You were the better swordfighter and you were winning on points too."

Laura looked to him in surprise before wrinkling her features, "So, what do we do? The team is still going to need leadership and direction. Quinton and Noelle seem to listen to you more anyway."

"Maybe... but being skilled and cool-headed are also important leadership traits," Connor added. "That's why I think we should both lead the charge. We did make a pretty good team against that monster yesterday, don't you think?"

"Yes… I suppose we did," Laura sighed as they both stood up from the bench.

As another cool autumn breeze rustled the leaves of the trees nearby, Connor cleared his throat and extended his hand, "Listen Laura, I was thinking about what Kristen had said. You and I don't necessarily have to like each other or even agree about everything, but we're still on the same side. At the very least, I think we should try to be friends from this point forward."

Laura looked to his proffered hand and gave a faint smile as she finally returned the handshake she had denied him when they first met in Kristen's shop, "I believe that's the most sensible thing you've said all week Connor. All right... if only for Noelle and Quinton's sake. Compared to you, those two are far more tolerable."

Connor couldn't help but give a gentle laugh at her admission toward the others before she gestured toward home, "Shall we head back to the dormitory and grab some dinner?"

"Only of you're paying," Connor joked with a wink before she gave a huff and leveled her tennis racket at him threateningly. He began to laugh again as she turned away and started to walk back towards home. While she walked, she still kept her head turned away... but despite her best efforts, the Winter Knight couldn't help but let a small amused smile of her own slowly begin to form at the corner of her lips. It was an unusual look for her, but it was one that she was sure would become much more common the longer she stayed at this new school.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Now that the inter-team conflicts have been settled at the moment, it's time for some character spotlights. Coming up next, Halloween is fast approaching in Somerset Valley, and it's going to be up to our sweet mild mannered Autumn Knight to step up and show her courage against a dark horseman straight out of Celtic folklore. See you all next week!**


	7. Haunting Season

**Episode 4: Part 1**

Colorful leaves drifted down from the treetops that lined the quad of Somerset Valley University. The day was clear and crisp and the noon sun hung high overhead giving just enough warmth to remain comfortable against the early October chill. As she took a break to eat lunch in between her classes, Noelle Moreau sat out on the lawn and tossed the leftover scraps of her meal to the squirrels and birds. She had always loved animals since she was young and she enjoyed watching them up close too. Growing up, her older brother Jaxon had loved to tease her and tried to scare her with bugs and other creepy crawlies. Still, she had always refused to squash them or hurt them. That was probably why she wanted to become a veterinarian and she couldn't help but laugh at the sight right now.

A gray squirrel along with two sparrows were sitting close to her eating the breadcrumbs right out of her hands. In all respects, they seemed to be completely unafraid of her. She wondered that if she started singing a song, it was possible one of her classmates could almost mistake her for some kind of Disney princess.

While she fed the animals, Noelle also took an idle moment to admire the buildings of the campus. Like the buildings surrounding campus town, the school halls had a bit of a quaint colonial style architecture to them. As it was a smaller school, she liked the warm homey New England style feel of it, especially on a day like today. Moments later, her attention shifted as the animals scattered and she saw a familiar face coming to join her. To her surprise, she saw Connor amble over with a friendly smile and take a seat nearby on the grass.

"Hey Noelle! I was just passing through and thought I'd say hello," he said while setting his bookbag down.

She gave a friendly smile in return and stretched her legs, "Are you headed back to the dorm for lunch?"

"I'm afraid so," he sighed with a nod, "I've got a lot of classes this afternoon and then I've got to help Kristen straighten up her store. For once, the insurance people were pretty fast about helping her make repairs after that spriggan attack several weeks ago."

Noelle nodded quietly and touched her ring, "Seems too unreal... all that stuff, you know? The stranger part is that this is all probably going to become more normal for us."

"Tell me about it," he snorted in amusement as he rose to his feet and helped her up too. "Well, I've gotta run. I'll see you around?"

"Why don't I come by the shop later and help clean up?" she offered, "All of us can. I mean, we're all a team now and Kristen is our friend too, right?"

Connor couldn't help but smile, "That's really sweet of you Noelle. I think she'd like that. Okay, see you then!"

* * *

Back in the Underworld, the Fomorian Warlord Balor stalked through the dark tunnels until he came upon a large yawning cavern that the monsters often used as a training field. It was there that he spied a dark female warrior upon a fearsome skeletal horse. The dark fey rider galloped her ghastly mount around the field several times before turning toward several posts that had been set up in the middle of the cavern. She called out a sharp command and the head of her skeletal horse began to blaze, giving off an eerie light.

The rider reached to her side and pulled a whip-like weapon made of bones that resembled a freakishly long human vertebrae. As the horsewoman charged through the obstacles in the middle of the training field, she lashed her weapon out and smashed several pumpkins sitting atop the low posts, causing them to explode into bits of pulp on impact. When she finished her cavalry charge exercise, she cantered her horse before Balor and dismounted. She gave a respectful little bow and shockingly, removed her head from her neck and placed it under her left arm.

"My Lord Balor, I was not aware you were watching. Please forgive me for the late greeting," said the disembodied head.

The warlord smiled and waved his hand gently, "There's no need Sarissa. Your horsemanship and skill with the lash was very impressive."

"Thank you my lord," the monstrous female rider replied, "I have been training, in hopes that you may let me serve. The feast of Samhain is coming and I wish to be able to ride out and slay mortals in your name."

Balor gave an impressed nod as he gently patted the nose of the skeletal horse, "That may be a dangerous request. This is the time of year when the Autumn Court grows strong and their lord, the Erlking goes hunting for evil spirits that roam the earth. He and his band of Wild Huntsmen would not show you any mercy if they find you."

Sarissa frowned and stood taller, "I do not fear the Erlking, Lord Balor. I know I can likely outride many of his best horsemen too. If those Hibernian Knights are plaguing you, I wish for a chance to destroy them."

She gestured to the ruins of the pumpkins, "I wish to do the same to their skulls and I'll bring you the fragments as tribute."

Balor considered it for a long moment before turning away from the headless horsewoman and departing the field, "Then so be it Sarissa. You shall have your chance, so do not squander it."

* * *

Later that day, Noelle led the others to the antique shop in town where they found Connor wiping down all the glass display cases while Kristen busily finished rearranging items. The bleary eyed Druid gave a small wave followed by a yawn as the three students entered the shop to admire the new layout.

"Well, I'll hand it to the repairmen... it looks much more impressive than before," Laura idly commented while Quinton gently nudged her with his elbow.

Noelle ignored them and headed over to greet their mentor, "Hey Kristen, the place looks great... but are you okay? You look a little pooped."

The Druid flopped down on a cushioned rocking chair and rubbed her eyes, "Yeah, sorry everyone. I'm just feeling a little out of it today. I've been busy reopening the shop, and then I was up late last night making preparations for Samhain in a few weeks."

"Samhain?" Quinton asked with a puzzled look, "Who is that?"

From the corner, Connor gave a gentle laugh as he finished cleaning and headed over to his friends, "Not who. What. Samhain is an old pagan holiday celebrated by the Gaelic people during harvest season. It's basically what modern day Halloween was based off of."

Kristen nodded in agreement as she continued to relax, "That's right. It was the time of year when the boundaries between the mortal world and the spirit world were weakest, so many of the old Celts feared the undead or other evil faeries of the night called the Unseelie. My fellow Druids and I were up late last night gathering lots of firewood for the coming event... specifically from old dead trees."

Laura scratched her head, "Why would you need to do that?"

Kristen gave a yawn and leaned back, "Well, it's customary to light large bonfires to ward off the evil spirits, kind of the same idea as jack-o-lanterns. With any luck, maybe the Wild Hunt will come through and help wipe out any other Fomorians lurking around."

Now it was Noelle's turn to look confused, "Wild Hunt? That doesn't sound good. I've never heard of it."

"Most people haven't," Kristen explained as she snapped her fingers and lit the nearby fireplace with a small effort of magic. "Every year around this time, the Autumn Court grows in strength and its ruler, the Erlking, likes to go out with a band of his best hunters to go riding across the land and wipe out evil spirits for fun."

"Oh? Well, that sounds great! He sounds like he's on our side so maybe we should talk to him," Connor suggested hopefully but the Druid shook her head.

"No. That would be unwise. The Erlking chases rogue monsters, but he and his hunters are not the nicest people either. They're as dangerous and vicious as the prey they hunt. If you get in his way, he'd probably kill you too. That's why it's called the Wild Hunt."

Noelle pondered the issue for a moment before she spoke again with a hesitant tremor in her voice, "Do you... think he'd be willing to listen to the Autumn Knight then?"

Kristen merely shook her head and closed her eyes to take a nap, "Like I said, it's best you just steer clear of all that. Go do some other thing on Halloween... like go to a holiday party or something."

The knights exchanged a discouraged look before Quinton shrugged, "Hey, that actually reminds me of something. I do know there's going to be a big Halloween masquerade dance and festival at the student Union. It's coming up really soon, so maybe that should be fun, right?"

"Yes! Great idea. A Halloween party sounds awesome!" Noelle exclaimed.

Connor grinned playfully and scratched his chin, "Hmm, tons of candy, alcohol, and girls in sexy Halloween costumes? Count me in too."

As Noelle slapped him in the arm and gave him a reproving frown, Laura rolled her eyes, "I suppose that means we all have to go looking for some ridiculous looking costumes then?"

"Oh come on Laura. Don't be such a sourpuss," Noelle smiled as she grabbed the Winter Knight's wrist and led her out of the shop, "We could be creative and make our own."

The two boys exchanged a look and shrugged before they caught sight of their mentor already dozing off by the fireplace. Giving small smiles of amusement, they followed the girls out and decided to let Kristen catch up on some much needed sleep.

* * *

Later that week, the knights convened again at O'Doyle's pub to hang out after some midterm exams one night. As the four sat at a booth talking and bantering about, they were joined by Eliza and some of her other musician friends. Eventually the topic of conversation turned toward the upcoming Halloween festivities on campus. While the get-together continued, Noelle glanced at her phone and noticed that it was getting a little late. She still had to take one more exam the next morning so she wanted to cut out early to try and get some sleep for it.

"Hey, sorry everyone. I've got one more test tomorrow so I think I'm going to call it an early night," she said apologetically while squeezing past Laura and Quinton.

"Wait, hold up Noelle! Are you sure you're going to go back to the dorm by yourself?" asked Eliza in sudden concern.

The Autumn Knight raised a curious eyebrow, "Yeah... What's the big deal? It's not that far of a walk from town."

Eliza looked to the others with a slightly worried expression, "Sure, I know that. But you haven't heard about what happened to one of the poor upperclassmen just recently have you? Mike Delong?"

Everyone else at the table exchanged blank looks until Eliza spoke again, "Just a few nights ago, he claimed he was here late drinking with his buddies and then decided to walk back to campus. He took a little stroll down a wooded path leading back to school when he saw something terrible. In the moonlight, he said he saw a girl riding a skeletal horse through the trees, but that wasn't the worst part. He said the rider didn't have her head attached to her neck either. She carried it under her arm and laughed with terrifying shrieks as she went. Mike said he was so scared, he hid under a muddy log until she went by, then ran home as fast as he could."

Connor's face grew very grim as Eliza finished her tale, but Laura scoffed, "Come on Eliza. You really expect us to believe that happened? That's just like the old colonial story of the headless horseman. Mike was probably just sloshed and dreamt the whole thing up in his drunken stupor."

Quinton took a long swig of his soda before he nodded in agreement, "Laura has a point... plus the Legend of Sleepy Hollow was set in New York. I've never heard of any headless horsemen rampaging around here in Massachusetts."

Connor grimaced slightly and turned to his other friend, "Noelle, if you want, I'll walk you home... just in case."

To his surprise, Noelle shook her head and waved the story off politely, "That's okay Connor. I think I can manage just fine tonight."

"Are you sure? I mean..."

"I'll be fine," she insisted giving a pointed look, "Listen, if anything weird happens, I've got my phone and all your numbers. Plus, you know I'm pretty capable of protecting myself, right?"

She was subtly referring to her ring and the powers of the Autumn Knight so he sighed and gave a reluctant nod, "Well... okay. Just be careful."

Noelle put on her orange cap and gave a cheerful smile to everyone, "Relax. I'll see all of you tomorrow. We'll have lunch together after my midterm exam, sound good?"

As the Autumn Knight left the pub and stepped out into the brisk night air, she shivered and took a breath. She had left the warmth and light of the pub and now had a short walk down the wooded parkways back towards campus.

Another chilly gust of wind nipped at Noelle's cheeks as she made her way down the dark wooded lane. The sounds of dead leaves crunching underfoot echoed in the night while the Autumn Knight made her way from the glow of one street lamp to the next. That was when she heard the clomping sounds of hooves, almost like a horse. She froze and looked around, hearing the sounds grow closer.

In the dim light of the street lamp, she turned toward a nearby tree line and her heart froze as a dark rider upon a ghostly horse emerged. As the rider approached slowly, Noelle could see the rider was female, except her head was being carried by her free hand, with her stringy black hair trailing in the chilly air. Upon the rider's face was a ghoulish smile and her eyes were alight with malicious glee.

"Ah, some fresh game for the hunt!" the monster said in a raspy voice.

The Autumn Knight glanced about, desperately searching for some avenue of escape. As the evil fey rider closed, the fight or flight reaction kicked in and Noelle decided she had to fight. Moments before the rider bore down upon her, Noelle raised her ring and summoned her armor in a brilliant cloud of orange light and autumn leaves.

Sarissa reared up her horse in surprise and backed off as Noelle pulled her falcata sword and took a swing.

The dark horsewoman grinned as she reattached her head and cracked her skeletal whip, "Oh my… a Knight! This just got a whole lot more interesting!"

Noelle growled and slashed her weapon over the ground, which kicked up a cloud of leaves to momentarily blind the monster. Sarissa snarled and whipped aside several leaves only to see the knight charging forward to attack.

The Autumn Knight darted in and slashed with her curved blade, but the blow was deflected aside by the tail end of the monster's whip. In that moment, Noelle fell back on defense when she realized that the evil faerie rider still had the advantage of height and leverage while mounted. Sarissa gave a ghastly shriek and lashed out with her weapon and succeeded in snaring the forte of the knight's blade.

As the two combatants struggled in a momentary tug of war, Noelle cried out in surprise as the rider wheeled her mount around and the skeletal horse knocked the knight over with its hindquarters. Giving a fearsome whinny, the monstrous horse stamped its hooves down to try and trample the downed knight, but Noelle rolled clear and quickly recovered to her feet.

That momentary distraction cost Noelle as the dark rider spurred her horse forward and struck with her whip in a vicious passing attack. Noelle reeled sideways and spun to the ground from the force of the impact. Her vision went bright for a moment as her shoulder exploded in pain where she had been struck. As she staggered to her knees, Noelle was lashed again and knocked to the dirt before her armor dispelled and left her vulnerable. Had she not been protected by her armor, those strikes could have very well killed her outright.

The smug rider cantered her horse over and loomed above the stunned knight before giving a hideous smile. "You have a pretty face little girl. I think I may use your head as a replacement for this old one."

Before the rider could do any harm, she froze as she heard the sounds of hunting horns and galloping hooves echo through the parks. She gritted her teeth and turned away from Noelle with a growl. "Don't think I'm sparing your life. You're still as good as dead right now."

Noelle blinked in surprise as the dark horsewoman spurred her horse and disappeared back into the blackness of the woods to escape. The Autumn Knight gave a sigh of relief and tried to rise to her knees. She reached out to retrieve her fallen cell phone when she stopped and saw more mysterious horsemen emerge from the dark tree line on the opposite end of the wooded path. Unlike the rider who had attacked her, these horsemen appeared to be Elven. Some wore shirts of chainmail armor while others wore hide, but all of them bore bright orange cloaks trailing behind them. The riders had a wild, almost barbaric look to them and they regarded her with suspicion as they closed in around her forming a tight ring.

Despite her best efforts to get clear, Noelle found herself trapped as several of the riders' horses snapped at her while a few other warriors leveled hunting spears.

"Enough! I wish to speak with the Tuathan," came a powerful voice from the rear. Several of the huntsmen backed off and raised their spears in respect as a more regal looking Elven warrior approached on horseback. He sat upon a powerful black charger, wearing fine chainmail armor and a decorative orange tabard. Noelle glanced upwards to see the warrior also wore a fearsome great helm adorned with antler horns.

Noelle swallowed hard and tried to speak, but it came out in a small trembling voice, "Who… who are you?"

The regal horseman looked down upon her and began to remove his helmet, "I am the Lord of Autumn and Master of the Wild Hunt… I am the Erlking."


	8. Knight Rider

**Episode 4: Part 2  
**

She wasn't quite sure what had happened after running into the Wild Hunt, but when she awoke, Noelle Moraeu rolled over and opened her bleary eyes. Had she been hit by some sleeping enchantment? Maybe she had passed out in fear? Her mind was still a bit fuzzy. Once the sleep cleared from her eyes, Noelle felt the warmth of the morning sunlight on her cheeks and she found herself deep within an autumn wood. To her shock, she found her wrists and her ankles had been bound in rope, both of which had been tethered to a sturdy tree nearby. Fortunately, a thick wool blanket had been thrown over her to keep her warm during the night. Nearby the tree, she saw several tents had been raised in a makeshift campsite, all of which bore the same orange colors and heraldry of the Erlking's riders.

What was she doing here in the camp of the Wild Hunt? Was she a prisoner? Why didn't they just kill her? Right now, it was hard to think clearly and Noelle fought to keep her heart steady. She had nearly been killed the other night by the headless rider and now she was separated from her friends… a prisoner of some dangerous faerie people. She had to focus right now and calm her mind. She had always been fond of meditation and now was a perfect time to fall back on that.

As she took several calming breaths, her anxieties began to lessen as she heard a large creature snuffling and pawing at the ground behind her. To Noelle's surprise, she saw that one of the horses of the Wild Hunt had come up to her and was studying her intently. This one almost seemed unafraid of the girl and it looked to be more curious. He was a dark brown steed and he whinnied slightly while tentatively leaning down to get a closer look at the girl.

Despite her fear, Noelle slowly reached up with her bound hands and gently touched the horse's nose. As she did, she spoke softly to keep it calm, trying to convince it that she was a friend, "Hey… easy there. That's it… I'm not going to hurt you…"

As she continued to pet the animal and speak soothingly to it, Noelle did not even notice the approach of the Elven warrior who left his tent and approached slowly. When she heard the jingling sounds of armor, she stopped and turned to see the Erlking, this time without his imposing helmet. He was a pale Elf with long dark hair and rough hard lines on his weathered face which gave the impression that he was indeed a fierce and experienced hunter.

"You're awake…" he said brusquely, "And I see you've met Tristan."

Noelle hesitated, unsure of how to respond so she gave a small nod, "He's… a beautiful horse."

The Erlking snorted to himself and reached out to touch the steed as well, "His rider Adaon fell just a few days ago hunting a great demonic boar. Over the following days, Tristan was an unruly beast… until just now. You seem to have a way with animals."

"I… uh, thank you… I like to think so," Noelle replied carefully, "I'm... actually in training to take care of these creatures."

"Is that so?" the Erlking replied thoughtfully, "Because it looked to me like you were impersonating a Tuathan knight yesterday when you were fighting that Dullahan."

"Sorry… Dullahan?"

"Yes," the Erlking nodded, "A dark fey… Unseelie… they are murderous horsemen who ride without their heads attached to their necks."

Noelle gulped, "I had to try and defend myself. That thing could have been a servant of Balor, right? I'm sure you know that he's come back to attack the mortal world."

The Erlking frowned, "I had heard rumors… though it vexes me that this may be happening in the middle of my annual hunt."

Noelle looked about and saw several more warriors in the hunting party emerge from their tents and attend to their own mounts. She had to try something. "My lord… if Balor is our common enemy, then we are on the same side. Please… let me try to help you."

Again the Erlking gave a stern look towards her, "You make a claim at the powers of the Tuathan Knight of Autumn… powers that flow from my own Court. To think yourself worthy of even wearing that mantle, especially after having been defeated so soundly is something I take offense to. That is why we have captured you."

Noelle shuddered, "And what do you plan to do with me?"

The Erlking gave a wry smile, "Simple my dear… we were going to have a little sport with seeing how far you can run before we hunt you down ourselves."

The Autumn Knight felt the horse whinny again as it pressed its snout into her shoulder, "My lord…I'm begging you… uh, give me a chance to prove that I'm worthy."

The Erlking considered her words for several long moments before an amused smile crossed over his face.

"Very well… so-called Knight of Autumn. I will make a bargain with you. You may take the horse Tristan, and leave this campsite. By the end of the day, I will expect you to destroy that Dullahan for me. Do this, and you can have your freedom, along with a great reward for the monster's bounty."

Noelle nodded slowly, "Okay… but what's to stop me from just taking your horse and running?"

The Erlking crossed his arms with a smile, "Honor, my dear Knight. When we fey make pacts and bargains, our word is binding. It's the same idea of the magical geas built into your ring. Break a fey pact, and terrible curses may befall you… and remember, we are still excellent hunters as well."

Noelle gulped again and gave a nod as she shook the Erlking's hand. A slight magical tingling sensation filled her fingers before he freed her from her bonds and handed her the reins of the magic horse with a smile, "Good luck Autumn Knight… you will need every bit of it if you wish to survive the day."

The horse gave her an expectant look and waited for her to climb up into the saddle. With that, the horse began to trot out of the camp and into the open woods. As she made her way down a shady path, Noelle gripped the reins tightly and tried to think of a plan.

She had bought herself a little more time to live, but as to where she was going to go from here, she didn't know. For now, it seemed that the horse knew where it was headed so if it had placed some trust in her at the campsite, then she would have to place some trust in it now.

* * *

That morning, Connor and Laura sat chatting at a table inside the Student Union waiting for their two other friends to meet them for lunch between classes. Their small talk was soon interrupted when they spotted Quinton enter the Union courtyard carrying his bookbag and his skateboard. As the Spring Knight took a seat and set his things down, he gave a slightly puzzled frown, "Huh… where's Noelle? I thought she said she was going to meet us."

Laura idly tapped a plastic fork on the Tupperware container that held her own lunch while she glanced at her watch, "Yes... if it was anyone else, I'd say they were being rude… do you think her exam ran late?"

Connor bit his lip slightly, "Maybe, but I doubt it. It wouldn't take this long… even for a midterm. I'll try and give her a call."

He pulled out his phone and tried to call a couple times only to be instantly sent to her voice mail. As he set down his phone, a concerned frown crossed the face of the Summer Knight.

"Uh… you don't think something happened to her on the way home last night… do you?" Quinton suggested hesitantly.

Laura crossed her arms with a thoughtful frown of her own, "I haven't seen her around the dormitory this morning… maybe we ought to go looking for her? Everyone is free this afternoon, right?"

Connor nodded, "Okay… sounds like a good plan. Let's finish our meal and then take a little walk through the woods leading towards town."

After lunch, the three friends left the Union and set off towards campus town. The small village area that offered most of the stores and restaurants for students was located only about a mile away so it was not a long walk. Based on the designs of the urban planners, the most direct route to town for students was a scenic walking path that was built at the edges of the large local forest preserves. It was a popular route for students and everyone enjoyed the shady lanes and grassy parkways that were free of cars and other urban hazards.

As the three knights walked down the wooded path, they kept their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, despite the carpet of autumn leaves that had already fallen along the road.

Up above, the skies began to grow overcast with clouds as another cool gust of wind nipped at the noses of the knights and Quinton took a look around, "You know, the more I think about it the more I realize this path could be a little creepier late at night."

Connor fixed his roommate with a mild frown before sighing to himself, "If something bad happened to Noelle, then this is all my fault. I should have argued more and walked her home from the pub."

He was surprised when Laura idly walked ahead and surveyed the leafy walking paths, "Don't waste your energy beating yourself up. We all share some responsibility in that, and we shouldn't be worrying about something that might not have happened anyway."

It was a logical, reassuring statement and the boys couldn't help but notice the veiled way that the Winter Knight was also expressing some concern for her own comrade.

Laura's own confidence wavered though as she stopped and bent down to retrieve something that was sitting in the road. As she brushed aside some leaves, Laura picked up a cellphone and examined it as the boys gathered around her.

"Did you find something Laura?" Quinton asked.

The Winter Knight rose with a troubled look on her face, "Yes… I think this might be Noelle's mobile phone."

To their dismay, they saw the missed calls from Connor's phone show up on the screen confirming their suspicions. As Laura continued to try and get any more information from the phone, Quinton took a few steps back and examined the area, "What happened here?"

"Maybe she was taken?" Connor speculated darkly as he began to fear the same fate as the Druid Dierdre Finn. "Or maybe a Fomorian did this?"

Laura tucked the phone away and rolled her eyes, "Come on Connor. Are you suggesting Eliza's tall tale about a headless horseman on campus was true?"

"You shouldn't be so quick to judge things you don't understand," came a sinister female voice.

The three knights tensed up and peered about the surrounding woods which had grown more dark and gray from the gathering clouds overhead. Moments later, they spotted a mounted figure emerging from a cloud of mist that had settled along the base of the forests. It was a female rider with a sinister skeletal horse. She was draped in back clothing and carried her own disembodied skull under her arm which wore a malevolent grin.

"I'll be damned… the horseman... it is real," Quinton gasped as the three recoiled in growing dread.

"You there! What have you done to Noelle?" Laura shouted out in a challenge.

The horsewoman sniggered, "The same thing I'm going to do to you three."

She drew her bony vertebrate whip out and gave it a crack on a nearby tree to split several branches. With another shriek, she charged forward to attack as the three knights summoned their armor and weapons. The Dullahan skillfully rode past Connor causing him to miss and turned to bear down of Quinton. The Spring Knight held his ground and blocked the bone whip with his short sword as she lashed out at him.

Seeing he had a momentary advantage, Quinton ignited his off-hand sickle with thunder energy and moved to counterattack, but the dark horse snapped its teeth and caught the weapon in its mouth. Quinton gasped in surprise before the monster named Sarissa reared her horse and threw him aside with the momentum of the beast.

As Quinton rolled away on the ground, Laura dashed forward readying her icy rapier to strike. Before the knight could make a thrusting attack, Sarissa lashed her bone whip upward to snare a thick tree branch and pull herself up out of the saddle. Laura's eyes went wide in surprise as she missed her target and stumbled off balance. No sooner had she turned around was when the Dullahan in the tree ignited her head with ghastly flames and threw it at the knight.

The head struck the ground in front of Laura, exploding in a great burst of magical fire that stunned both the Winter and Spring Knights while sending them crashing to the ground. Sarissa leapt down from the tree and landed back in the horse's saddle before reforming her ghoulish head in her hands with a puff of dark magic. Seeing his two friends in trouble, Connor charged forward to try and help while they recovered from the stunning blast.

Despite the Summer Knight's powerful charge, Connor's sword blow was stopped as the bone whip snared the blade and wrapped around the forte. The Summer Knight gasped in surprise as he tried to pull his weapon free, but the Dullahan used the momentum of her mount to pull Connor away and throw him into a nearby tree. The knight hit the tree trunk and fell to the ground in a dazed heap. Unfortunately, both Laura and Quinton were still too shaken from the Dullahan's last attack to offer any aid either.

"Hah… pathetic," Sarissa sneered in contempt, "The three of you were just as inept as the girl in orange."

The Dullahan readied her bone whip and prepared to rain some finishing blows down on the three when she heard the thundering of hooves nearby. She stopped and looked around as the sound of a horse's angry whinny echoed through the trees, coming from all directions. Before she knew it, the Dullahan whirled around to see a fully armored Autumn Knight upon a fey horse of her own.

Laura was the first to blink in surprise and shake her head, "Is that… Noelle?"

"No way…" Quinton added as she struggled to rise.

The Autumn Knight trotted closer and slowly drew her own curved sword. Inwardly, Noelle had no idea what she was doing right now and she was scared out of her mind, but her friends were in danger so she knew she had to do something. "Not so fast Dullahan! I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else!"

The dark horsewoman sneered in amusement, "Oh? The little knight is back for more? If the Erlking didn't kill you, then you must be luckier than I thought."

"Which is more than I can say for you," Noelle called as she spurred her horse forward to meet her enemy.

Sarissa whooped and the dark horsewoman clashed weapons with Noelle in a passing attack. The Autumn Knight recoiled from the shock and gripped her mount tightly after having almost been knocked off the saddle. Her horse was already galloping around a tree and turning back for another pass. She had to trust her horse and let instinct guide her now.

As the two fighters charged and clashed again, Noelle saw Sarissa go for her whip so the Autumn Knight caught her forearm and threw both of them off their horses into the ground. The two combatants crashed into the dirt and rolled off each other, losing both their weapons in the scuffle while the dark fey's horse was driven off by the Autumn Knight's steed. Seeing her own curved falcata sword lying nearby, Noelle scrambled to grab it and charge it with wind energy before hurling it at her foe.

To Noelle's dismay, the Dullahan dodged the whirling projectile sword at the last moment and snapped her own whip up with a quick motion. Noelle felt the whip tie around her neck and she struggled against the tightening lash as Sarissa forced her to her knees.

"You stupid girl... did you really think you could outride and outfight me?"

Noelle gasped as she struggled against the whip around her neck before giving a strained smile, "No... I just had to outsmart you."

The Dullahan scowled in confusion before she turned to look in the direction Noelle was gazing. At that very moment, Sarissa saw the Autumn Knight's charged blade boomerang back around. Sarissa didn't have any time to scream as the weapon split her evil skull and obliterated it completely.

The Dullahan's remaining body gave one last frightening shriek before it collapsed and burst into a cloud of black wispy smoke. As Noelle staggered to her feet, her horse Tristan trotted over to her. She removed her helmet in relief and shook out her mussed chestnut brown hair while the other knights hurried over to greet her.

"Damn Noelle! That was pretty awesome!" Quinton laughed in giddy excitement as he stopped to admire the horse. "Where did you learn to ride like that?"

"I guess I'm just a natural," she laughed sheepishly while more praise was heaped upon her by her comrades.

As the horse gave a pleased snort and pawed the ground, Laura cleared her throat with a soft smile, trying not to look too affectionate. She placed a hand on the Autumn Knight's shoulder, "You really saved our necks and played a blinder right there Noelle… well done."

Noelle couldn't help but grin at having earned open praise from the Winter Knight herself. "Haha…thanks Laura."

"No, thank you!" Connor cheered as both he and Quinton lifted her up on their shoulders for a moment to celebrate. "You were the one who saved our butts today, remember?"

Noelle gave another delighted laugh as they set her back down, but everyone froze when several fey horsemen in orange cloaks emerged from the woods around them. The other Knights tensed up and gripped their blades but Noelle raised her arms to calm her friends.

"Relax everyone… just trust me and stand down."

Connor kept his eyes on the horsemen as they closed in and formed a loose ring around the knights, "Friends of yours?"

"In a manner of speaking," Noelle replied grimly before turning to face the leader of the Wild Hunt.

The Erlking cantered forward on his horse and surveyed the area, fixing a long gaze on the spot where the Dullahan had been destroyed. Finally, the Lord of Autumn gave a satisfied nod and turned to Noelle, "Well done Autumn Knight… it seems you're more talented and courageous than I originally gave you credit for."

Noelle bowed her head in a quiet show of respect, "Thank you my lord. I'd like to introduce my friends, the rest of the Hibernian Knights. Everyone, this is the Lord of Autumn and Master of the Wild Hunt… this is the Erlking."

The others gaped in surprise before bowing their heads too. The Erlking nodded in acknowledgment before turning back to Noelle. "May I ask your name?"

"Noelle… Noelle Moreau."

The Erlking nodded again and produced an object from his saddlebag. It was a beautiful ivory hunting horn.

"Lady Noelle, by the terms of our agreement, you are free to go. You've proven your worth and valor to me. As such, I agreed to reward you for keeping your end of our bargain."

He tossed her the horn and said, "This represents your membership into my Wild Hunt and ensures the safety of yourself and your companions from the Sidhe of Autumn."

"I… wow… thank you," Noelle said humbly as the Erlking gestured to some of his other riders. They approached with three other free mounts and handed them off to her.

"If you and your companions are going to be fighting the Fomorians, you're going to need a means to reach the battlefield quickly. Take these mounts and call upon them whenever you need them. They are magic creatures, strong, smart, and as fast as the wind itself."

With that, the Erlking turned his mount and signaled for the other riders to depart. He gave Noelle one last approving nod before disappearing into a cloud of colorful leaves. The Autumn Knight smiled and took a moment admire her new treasure. She had proven herself against a frightening monster, earned the respect of a fey noble, and given her team a new mode of transportation. Despite the near brushes with disaster, all had turned out well.

"Way to go Noelle, you really came through for us today," Quinton said cheerfully as she let him examine the hunting horn.

"Yes… but we were all very worried about your safety," Laura added matter of factly, "Maybe now Connor can stop with the self-flagellation too."

Noelle gave an amused smile as she turned to the Summer Knight, "You were really worried about me?"

Connor gave a sheepish grin and shrugged, "Well… sure. I mean, I felt kinda responsible. You're always worrying about everyone else, so I guess today was just our turn to worry about you."

The Autumn Knight smiled again as she hooked her arms through Connor and Laura's, "Come on everyone… let's go home. I need a hot meal, a shower, and a nice long nap."

"While you're at it, you might want to email your professor too," Laura pointed out, "Didn't you have a midterm exam today?"

Noelle's smile quickly faded and for the second time that day, her eyes went wide with sudden horror, "Crap!"

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **All's well that ends well... sort of. Next up, another irregular day in the life of our Spring Knight Quinton Wallace. As always, thanks for reading and see you next week!**


	9. Wishful Thinking

**Episode 5: Part 1  
**

Laura Gremory gave a deep sigh as she trudged out of the local forest preserves with Quinton Wallace that afternoon. It was a typical chilly late autumn day and the skies were gray and overcast. Dead leaves crunched underfoot as Laura took a moment to hand off the large basket she was carrying to her companion. While Quinton held the container, Laura huddled into her warm wool coat and paused to brush away some dirt and burrs that had stuck to her boots.

"Honestly Quinton, I can't believe we got roped into this messy duty by Kristen today. The last thing I want to do is spend my Thursday afternoon tramping through the muddy forests looking for some weird moldy fungus."

Quinton stopped to examine the basket full of mushrooms and other odd fungi they had collected for their mentor. "Well, Connor and Noelle are both stuck in Biology class and we were the ones with light afternoon schedules today. I don't see why we can't pitch in a little to help Kristen too."

"I suppose," Laura admitted grudgingly, "What do you figure Kristen is going to do with all that stuff anyway?"

Quinton shrugged as they continued on their way, "Beats me. You don't think the Druids are like hippies and are just going to smoke it all, do you?"

Laura chuckled, "She doesn't strike me as the type. More likely she'd probably use it to brew some crazy potion that can turn you into a frog or something."

The two knights' bantering was suddenly cut short as they heard the sounds of someone calling for help. The two exchanged a quick look and rushed through a nearby thicket toward the sounds of trouble. Soon enough, they found themselves atop a small hill leading down into a wooded clearing. At the base of the hill, they saw a diminutive young woman being chased by a larger dark fey. The monster chasing her appeared to be made of old dead vegetation and it caught the end of her skirt, tripping her to the ground.

"Help! Somebody please help me!" the small hobbit-like female cried in alarm.

Before Laura could react, Quinton dropped the basket of fungus and charged down the hill, sliding along some of the leaves. "Watch the basket Laura. I'll take care of this!"

The Winter Knight sighed and sat down on the hilltop with an amused smile as she watched Quinton summon his armor and rush into combat with the beast.

"Don't worry miss, I'll help you!" he said gallantly as the small fey woman cowered nearby.

He immediately regretted those words as the monster turned on him and tackled him to the dirt. While the two wrestled about, Laura gave a yawn and then began to laugh as the monster pitched him over its shoulder, "Very impressive Quinton. Well done."

Quinton shot her a dirty look before the lesser monster grappled him again and the Spring Knight found himself being shaken about like a rag doll.

"That's it Quinton! You've almost got em!" Laura laughed again in amusement as she prepared to jump in and help if things got too out of hand.

Fortunately, Quinton broke free of the monster's grip and called upon his sickle to strike a critical point-blank slash across the monster's torso. As the monster staggered, Quinton summoned his other short sword and focused the power of the Spring thunderstorms into a killing blow. Using both weapons in a scissor strike, he decapitated the monster and incinerated the dead vegetation with one charged blow.

As Quinton sighed in relief and dispelled his armor, he turned back toward Laura who now made her way down the hill to join him.

"Nicely done Quinton. Minus some points for style, but you still pulled it off," Laura said as she brushed some dirt off his green jacket.

The two turned toward the small fey woman who got up and approached them carefully, "Oh my… Tuathan Knights! Thank you for saving me from that horrible monster!"

Quinton shrugged, "Oh, it was nothing… but who are you? I've never seen such a… um, little person."

The diminutive woman gave a bow, "My lord, I am just a humble gnome of the Spring Court, gathering some last bits of food before winter sets in. Again, I'm in your debt for saving my life."

The Spring Knight smiled and waved it off, "Oh, well... like I said, it's no trouble. If you're with the Spring Court, then I'm happy I could help."

The young gnome woman shook her head, "No my lord, we fey always try to settle our debts and repay them in good faith. Please let me give you a reward."

From her dress pocket, she produced a gold coin and handed it to him, "This Sir Knight, is a wish coin. With it is the power to grant you a single limited wish. Just state your desire and flip the coin over your head to make it so… just don't go wishing for the moon and stars though."

Quinton held the beautiful engraved coin up to examine it with Laura when they heard the gnome speak, "I really must be off so use your gift wisely Sir Knight. Farewell!"

When the two looked down, they saw the small fey woman had vanished from sight. Quinton palmed the coin and tucked it away, "Wow… can you believe it? A free wish? How cool is that?"

Laura crossed her arms, "You don't think this is some kind of faerie trick, do you?"

"The gnome seemed like she was genuinely grateful," Quinton said, "Maybe we can take the coin to Kristen and ask her for help?"

Laura shoved the basket of fungus into his chest and gave a nod, "Splendid, what are we waiting for then?"

As the two friends departed the woods, they didn't notice the large black crow sitting on one of the bare tree branches watching the events unfold. Once out of sight, the crow spread its wings and took off quickly to report to its sinister master.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the dark caverns of the Underworld, the lord of the Fomorian Host continued to wander through his dark domain. Today, his meandering had brought him to a wide underground garden that several of his monsters had been maintaining. He watched as several lesser Fomorians and spriggans carried bushels full of fungus and dead rotting vegetation to spread out as compost for the growing garden.

Among the attractions of the macabre farm were several sinister looking plants along with some dark gnarled trees. As Balor passed by observing the rows of monstrous trees, he saw that some of them had faces which yawned or contorted into looks of agony. Some moaned, while others writhed their branchy arms out, trying to claw at something to hurt. Those twisted treefolk were among the most impressive of the specimens Balor's servants had created… dark treants.

As Balor turned to leave the garden, he glanced over as the black messenger crow who had been spying around Somerset Valley flew toward him and perched on his shoulder. He stopped and listened intently as the crow squawked and quietly relayed his findings to his master. The warlord nodded with a smile as the crow took off and returned back to its patrol.

"So… it looks as if the Spring Knight has gotten himself a wish coin," Balor said aloud while turning to the treants, "That is a powerful thing in the hands of a stupid mortal, but still very useful to me. Who will retrieve the knight for me?"

Balor scanned the garden until his eyes fell upon a particularly large menacing treant which moaned and writhed about. The Fomorian warlord grinned and called upon a little bit of his powers to uproot the monster and force his will upon the creature. "Yes… you will do nicely."

The treant writhed in pain from Balor's spell for a moment before it straightened up and relaxed in submission. Balor nodded again with a smile and gestured toward the passageway out of the cavern, "That's much better. Now go. Fetch me the Spring Knight and do not fail me."

With another terrible moan, the dark tree creature gave a bow and began to lumber out toward the nearest cave mouth.

* * *

Later that evening after dinner, the four knights gathered together at the antique shop in town. A warm fire crackled from the fireplace while Laura lounged in a rocking chair reading a History book. In another corner of the room, Connor and Noel made themselves useful by sorting through Kristen's new basket of fungus and sorting them into glass jars. At the main counter, Quinton sat waiting as Kristen pulled out some tools to closely examine the coin he gave her. After several long moments of studying the coin under some lights and magnifying glasses, the Druid handed the coin back to him.

"Well Quinton… I can safely say that this is a genuine wish coin that was created in the Faerie Realm. I'll be honest that I haven't seen too many of those. The last time I appraised one was for a wealthy English gentleman by the name of Du Lac."

Noelle looked up from her work and gave a bright smile, "Cool! So does that mean that Quinton can wish for anything he wants now?"

"Well… not exactly," Kristen said as she left the counter and continued to tidy up her shop, "While all of them are powerful, most of those coins have limitations and the scope of the wish is often proportional to the giver of the coin. Bottom line, unless a king or a high lord of the Faerie Realm grants you one, you can't wish for anything too outrageous."

Quinton grinned and pocketed his treasure while heading for the door, "Awesome! Thanks Kristen! I think I'm going to go try and figure out what to do with it."

The Druid cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes slightly, as if she were a protective elder sister. "Quinton, don't rush and be sure to keep this secret. A wish coin can be a very powerful thing and I'm sure the Fomorians would love to use it to cause some major havoc."

Quinton nodded and left the shop to head back home to the dorm.

After a long silence hung over the room, Noelle turned to see a small frown form on Connor's brow. "Is something wrong Connor?"

"I don't know," the Summer Knight sighed, "I'm just a little concerned about Quinton. I mean… he's got a crazy powerful gift right there and he looked like he was in a rush to use it."

"And you're worried that he might waste his wish on something foolish?" Kristen said as she walked over and examined the fungus in the jars.

"Well… yeah, I guess."

The Druid shrugged, "Well… since he's your friend, maybe you three could help him and make some wise suggestions... to make sure his wish is put to good use."

At that, Laura closed her book and sat up with a sly smile, "That's an excellent idea Kristen, and I think I know just where to start!"

* * *

The next day at around noontime, Quinton walked down the main street of town carrying a small plastic bag. He had finished with his morning Sociology classes and decided to make a quick shopping run before heading back to his afternoon classes later that day. As he made his way down the main street of the town's commercial center, he stopped when he caught sight of his crush, his neighbor Kayla walking back towards campus as well. He hesitated and inwardly debated whether he should go join her on her walk when he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

He turned in surprise and saw Laura approach from the doors of a nearby restaurant. The place was an upscale Italian bistro that while a little on the pricier side was still a popular spot to eat for local students. He blinked in surprise as the Winter Knight approached him, "Laura? What are you doing here?"

The young blonde woman gave an unusually angelic smile and took him by the arm, leading him toward to the restaurant, "Quinton! What a coincidence! I was just about to go eat lunch here. Would you care to join me? It would be my treat."

The Spring Knight blinked again as she led him in through the doors of the restaurant, "Wow, really? Wait... you aren't like, asking me out on a date or anything are you? Because you suddenly being so nice is kinda weirding me out here."

Laura rolled her eyes and suppressed a groan of annoyance, "Really Quinton, don't go jumping to such absurd conclusions. I just thought I'd have a nice pleasant lunch with one of my comrades in arms. No harm in that, right?"

"Oh... well, okay I guess. That sounds fine with me," Quinton sighed in relief as they were seated.

Some time later as the meal wound down, Quinton pushed aside a plate of dessert and held his stomach, "Oh wow... I'm stuffed. Now I'm scared I might fall asleep during class this afternoon. Thanks for lunch today Laura."

The Winter Knight gave a gracious smile and graced him with a little laugh, "Oh Quinton, you're such a kidder... but you're welcome."

As he took a sip of water from a glass, Laura folded her hands gracefully, "Quinton, I meant to ask you earlier, but have you given any thought to what you might do with your wish?"

The Spring Knight smiled and raised the plastic bag he had been carrying, "Yup. I just wished for a set of new wheels for my skateboard."

Laura's eyes went wide in horror before Quinton started to laugh, "Relax Laura, I'm just messing with you. I went into town to buy these myself earlier. But about the wish... yeah, some things came to mind. Maybe I could wish for a million dollars, or maybe the numbers to a winning lottery ticket for starters."

"Pragmatic... I'll give you that," Laura shrugged, "But I was thinking of something a little more ambitious."

"Oh?"

The Winter Knight smiled, "Look around you Quinton. Wealth is one thing certainly, but it's quite another to have status and power... so that people could respect you and maybe even fear you. Wishing for something like that could open a lot of doors for you and you'd be dining in nice places like these all the time, rubbing elbows with society's high flyers."

Quinton grimaced, "Gee Laura... I don't know. That sounds cool and all, but I'm not exactly sure it's for me either."

The Winter Knight left some money on the table and rose from her chair. She gave a sweet smile and gently patted Quinton on the cheek, "Quinton my dear friend, just give it some thought. If you decide on that, I'd be more than happy to help you along."

"Uh, thanks..." Quinton said as he rose from his seat. "I should probably get going to class, so um... thanks again."

As he left the restaurant, he couldn't help but shake his head to himself and mutter quietly, "Weird."

Later that afternoon, Quinton made his way home from class when he ran into Noelle on the quad. She was wearing some sweats and it looked like she was out running when she greeted him with a cheerful smile, "Quinton! Hey! There's the big man on campus."

He raised an eyebrow and continued walking as she jogged alongside him, "Uh Noelle? What on earth are you talking about?"

She laughed and punched his arm lightly, "Oh I just figured you already used your you-know-what to become the most popular guy in school."

"No," he sighed patiently, "If you have to know, I haven't even used it yet."

"Really? Because if you need help, I was doing some thinking and figured I could offer you some suggestions."

The Spring Knight raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Such as?"

Noelle scratched her chin, "Well, let's see... you could use it to increase the size of the local Soup Kitchen in Somerset Valley, or maybe start up another animal shelter?"

Quinton grimaced, "Those are all really nice things Noelle, but why would I wish for that exactly?"

"Because you're a good person Quinton. Isn't that part of what being a knight is about?" Noelle explained, "We might fight monsters and keep people safe, but shouldn't we also try to be charitable and serve others too?"

"Well sure... I guess," Quinton conceded suddenly feeling some guilt over some of his more selfish wish ideas, "Man... who knew this was going to be so tough?"

The Autumn Knight gave an encouraging smile and waved as she jogged off, "Don't worry Quinton. I'm sure you'll figure it out and do the right thing in the end."

He waved goodbye to her, but he couldn't help but frown and feel a little annoyed too. Both Laura and Noelle had made some good arguments about what to wish for, but part of him couldn't help but wonder if they also saw something in it for themselves in those suggestions. As he headed back to the dorm, he hoped maybe talking to his roommate would help sort out some confusion.

That evening after dinner, Quinton lay back in his dorm room bed, idly sketching some drawings of leaves and acorns while Connor sat at his desk typing up a term paper for class. While Connor worked, he listened to Quinton relate his problem of the wish along with his run-ins with the girls earlier that day.

"I don't know man," Quinton groaned, "At first I thought this was going to be cool and exciting, but the more and more I think about it, the more conflicted I get when I realize how tough a choice this is."

The Summer Knight nodded and typed a few lines of his paper before glancing over, "I think the girls were just trying to help by giving you ideas of how they would approach it. If you ask me, it's really pretty simple. What does Quinton Wallace want?"

Quinton put down his sketchbook, "Well, as nice as money and power and doing good things for others is… there is something else. I do wish there was a way I could get Kayla to like me. But wishing for something like that doesn't seem right or honest either, you know? It's like manipulating someone's feelings and I couldn't be sure it was genuine either."

Connor sighed and went to sit down beside his friend. He slung a brotherly arm around Quinton's shoulders and clapped his arm, "Quin… listen to me bro, I've told you before that you can already make that happen. She's your next door neighbor. You already know each other and have talked before. You're halfway there so just gather up some courage and discuss it with her. You don't need some stupid magic wish."

Quinton grimaced and gave a half hearted nod to his friend, "Yeah… I guess you kinda have a point there."

Connor did his best to put on a reassuring smile, "Don't worry about it… though you want to know what I would do if I had a wish?"

"No… I actually don't," Quinton frowned as he felt a sudden flare of annoyance again. Connor had given him some good relationship advice, but he wasn't trying to talk him out of that wish so that he could promote his own agenda to Quinton… was he?

The Spring Knight stood up and growled quietly, "In fact, I'm starting to get annoyed by all of you telling me what I should do with my wish. If you guys are really my friends, then I want you to respect my feelings on it and just butt out. It's my wish and not yours, okay?"

"Okay! Geez, that's not where I was going with it Quin," Connor backpedaled in shock, "I'm sorry man… but what's gotten into you?"

Quinton turned and headed for the door, "Maybe I'm just getting a little tired of people thinking they can just push me around and use me to do things for them. I dunno... maybe try to take advantage of gullible old Quinton."

"Come on Quin, no one actually thinks that... especially not me! For God's sake, you and I are friends! You know I'm on your side here!"

"Yeah, well you and the girls have a funny way of showing it sometimes," Quinton shot back as he left the room and slammed the door in a huff. Feeling a little hurt and bewildered, Connor could only sit back down and shake his head in quiet dismay.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **For anyone curious, Kristen's mention of a wealthy family by the name of Du Lac is an in-universe reference to the Mythos Rangers series written by Stormasius, a fellow PR author and a good friend of mine too. Like me, he incorporates a lot of mythology and heroic fantasy elements into his stories so if you're at all interested in the genre, feel free to check his work out too.**


	10. For the Greater Good

**Episode 5: Part 2  
**

The next morning, Quinton Wallace gave a deep sigh as he sat down on a wooden bench in Ivy Lane Plaza. The outdoor garden plaza located on the other end of town was a popular spot for many citizens of Somerset Valley to come and relax, especially during the summertime. Despite the chilly approach of winter, some shoppers who were headed out of the nearby commercial district still lingered to admire the ornate sculptures and large stone fountain at the center of the plaza.

As Quinton sat glumly in the sunny square, he took a sip of coffee from a to-go cup, enjoying the warm feeling to his hands and throat. He was still a little upset about yesterday and was feeling a little sore at his friends. He knew they probably weren't trying to take advantage of him, though he could also understand why they'd unconsciously be pushing ideas on him too. They probably thought he'd be second guessing his own wishes and unable to make a decision by himself. In a way, he always tended to follow others' leads and didn't assert himself too much in a lot of situations. A good example of that was when he'd hang out at social events with Connor. The Summer Knight was always so confident and self assured around others, Quinton just naturally trusted him and got comfortable falling into line. As much as he hated to admit it, Quinton's own weakness made him a little upset at himself.

His thoughts were interrupted as another handsome young man in a stylish gray wool coat sat down at the other end of the bench with him. He had striking blonde hair with cold blue eyes and looked to be another student from the university. Around his shoulder was a large sports bag and a quiver of metal arrows.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" the stranger asked and Quinton shrugged.

"Sure... why not? It's a free country... though, what's with the bag?"

The blonde young man placed his load down and sighed, "It's just an old sports bow and arrows. I was just coming back from the local forest preserves and decided to take a breather here."

Quinton eyed the student and raised an eyebrow, "Practicing archery at this time of year? Outdoors? That's pretty unusual."

The stranger shrugged nonchalantly, "That's okay... I generally don't care what others think of me anyway. I find most people to be pretty ignorant and stupid as it is."

"Hmm... I kinda know the feeling right now," Quinton muttered as he took another sip of his coffee.

The blonde student studied the Spring Knight for a moment with a hint of amusement, "Ahh... then I suppose that's why you're sitting by yourself in the chilly air sulking by the fountain today?"

The Spring Knight gave a rueful smile and extended a hand, "Something like that. The name's Quinton."

"Stephen," the archer replied coolly while returning a quick handshake, "Stephen Gentum-Smith. You're a fellow student at Somerset Valley?"

Quinton nodded, "Yeah... I just came out here to clear my head today. I kinda got upset at some of my friends recently."

Stephen wrinkled his brow thoughtfully before reclining in his seat, "Friends can be a bit of a liability. Usually more trouble than they're worth in my opinion. But if you have to deal with them, I say don't be afraid to put yourself first sometimes. Do what you think is best and don't put too much weight on what everyone else is telling you that you should be doing."

Quinton fell silent and thought it over. He wasn't sure he totally agreed with Stephen, but he did have some fair points about standing up for himself. "Yeah... okay. I'll give it some thought. Thanks."

The conversation between the two young men was cut short as they both saw a large imposing shadow appear from behind them. It looked like a giant gnarled tree and they both jumped up, whirling around to see the form of Balor's monstrous tree man lumber forward and smash the bench with its hand.

"What the hell is that thing?" Stephen gasped in terror as Quinton shoved him toward one of the exits of the plaza.

"Hey! Get out of here! Run for it!"

Stephen nodded and took off running with his gear, not even taking a moment to look back at the rampaging monster. Quinton rolled away from another blow and took a deep breath, drawing in as much courage as he could muster. Even if he was alone, he'd have to try and stop this Fomorian from getting into the town's central district. He raised his ring and charged forward, transforming amid a shimmering green light and a cloud of Spring leaves, "Athru!"

Trying a similar tactic that he had used against the lesser plant monster in the woods, he tumbled under the treant's first strike and quickly struck a sword blow across the large monster's abdomen. Unfortunately, this time his sword stuck in the thick bark skin of the treant and mitigated his ability to follow through.

The Spring Knight gasped as he felt the treant reach over with its other hand and clamp down on him with its large hand covered in roots and vines. Things had just gone from bad to worse.

* * *

That afternoon, Connor walked about the antique shop, going over the inventory with a pencil and a clipboard until Noelle and Laura entered though the front door. As the cold air from outside faded away, the two girls walked over and took off their coats.

"Hey Connor, is everything okay?" Noelle asked as she hung up her coat on a nearby coat rack, "Laura and I were a little confused why you called us for a meeting."

The Summer Knight put down his clipboard and grimaced slightly, "Well, it's about Quinton. I think he's kinda upset at all of us for trying to tell him what he should do with his wish."

"I don't really see the problem," Laura sighed, "He should be glad that we're trying to help him... hell, I even bought him lunch on top of it."

Connor and Noelle glared incredulously at her for a moment before turning to address each other instead. The Autumn Knight wrinkled her nose, "Do you really think Quinton took it the wrong way? Because I'm sure we all meant well."

"Knowing him, I think Quinton can be a little sensitive about this kind of thing," Connor mused, "And I think he feels like he's being taken advantage of. He's always been kind of a follow-the-pack type person. He's probably just feeling a little conflicted and confused."

Laura crossed her arms patiently, "So what are you suggesting we do?"

Connor scratched his head and shrugged, "I don't know... maybe we should just trust him to use the power in the way that he wants. It's his wish after all and as his friends we should just accept it and respect whatever he decides to do."

"I like that idea. I'm on board," Noelle nodded in agreement, "Now where do we find Quinton so we can tell him?"

"You can probably meet him at Ivy Lane Plaza," Kristen interjected as she hurried in from a side room of the shop. She had her phone in hand and gestured for the door, "I just got a call from Mr. O'Doyle. He spotted another Fomorian causing a ruckus across town."

The Summer Knight threw on his own coat and opened the front door for the girls, "Okay, Balor's flunkies are on the loose again! What are we waiting for?"

* * *

From where he struggled in fear, Quinton groaned as he felt the grip of the treant tighten around him. It was crushing the life from him and would no doubt try to take his ring and his coin. The knight gave one more futile thrash, but it was in vain. There was no way out... until he felt the dark treant shudder.

Quinton gasped as he felt the constricting roots and vines suddenly go slack as they were cut from under him. The Spring Knight toppled to the ground in a heap and saw a familiar whirling falcata sword careen by. As the stunned knight tried to regain his senses, he heard the treant roar again as a searing cloud of fire from another sword slammed into it from the side and sent it reeling backwards.

"Hang on Quinton! We're here for you buddy!" a fully armored Connor called as he whirled around to help his friend stand up.

To Quinton's surprise, Noelle was also suited up for battle and caught her sword before hurrying over to steady him by his other arm, "Are you hurt?"

"No… I don't think so," he answered in a daze as he shook his head toward his friends who had just joined the battle, "But I'm still glad to see you guys."

"Let's save the warm fuzzy feelings for later, shall we? I think it's best we get out of here," Laura interjected from nearby as she squared off against the monster to cover the retreat. With one swift movement, Laura planted the tip of her sword in the earth and created a narrow sheet of slick ice to form over the ground. As the other knights scrambled to pull Quinton to safety, they watched the treant slip on the slick ice and topple over again with a great crash.

Despite the momentary obstacle, the treant shambled to its feet again and shattered the ice. When it did, a thin cloud of steam radiated off it as the remaining ice burned away from the small fires that still burned on the monster's body. Once the knights neared their waiting mounts, Quinton stopped and broke free of Connor and Noelle so that he could turn around and face the monster.

"Quinton, where are you going?" Laura demanded while giving a confused look.

The Spring Knight called upon both his short sword and his sickle as he slowly advanced toward his Fomorian enemy, "I'm going to send a message to Balor that I'm not a weak link."

"Have you lost your mind?" Noelle called as she moved to try and stop him. Connor gently caught her by the shoulders and slowly shook his head.

"Let him do this. He needs to believe he can do it for himself."

The treant growled as it squared off against Quinton causing the knight to clench his weapons tightly. As the Spring Knight surged forward, he charged his weapons with thunder energy and prepared to strike, "You're pretty big, but I think it's time to cut you down to size!"

The moment the treant brought its hands down to smash Quinton, the Knight used his smaller size and agility to slip past and tumble under the monster's guard. Quinton grinned as he drove both of his bladed weapons into the wooden feet of the monster to pin it in place. With one last push of effort, Quinton threw himself clear and rolled away before channeling the elemental energy of his ring to unleash its power. The two blades that pinned the treant crackled with electricity and triggered an elemental lightning strike from above, centered right on that target.

The treant howled in rage as the surging bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky and lit up the plaza in a deafening explosion. As the other knights shielded their eyes and ears, Quinton looked on and watched as the remains of the dark treant stood transfixed in place. The scorched tree monster had been split clean down the middle by the bolt and the two burnt halves slowly creaked and fell away into a pile of harmless charred ashes.

As Quinton recovered his weapons and rejoined his friends, Laura tilted her head, "You know, I'd say that was a brilliant job... but I'm afraid that would be a literal understatement."

"And a horrible pun too," Noelle added while clapping the Winter Knight's shoulder.

Quinton silenced them by clearing this throat and looking down, "Everyone... I should be the one thanking you. You guys came to save me, even after I overreacted a little about the whole wish thing yesterday... so, I'm sorry about that."

"Water under the bridge my friend," Connor said with a reassuring smile.

Before the two could shake hands, the four knights were startled as they saw a great cloud of dark magic erupt from the remains of the destroyed treant. They heard a roar and watched in horror as the dark cloud coalesced back into the form of the treant, only this time it had grown several stories taller into a monstrous giant.

"Oh, hell no!" Noelle exclaimed as Laura pulled her toward her mount and saddled up. The giant monster snarled in fury and began to stomp down on the ground causing the knights to hastily mount their horses and scatter in a panic. Once they regrouped, they all began to charge down the nearest open road leading out of the plaza.

Amid a storm of lumber and dead vegetation, the knights desperately wheeled their mounts around and dashed clear as the giant treant brought its foot down in an earth shattering stomp. Giving a wave, Connor directed the other knights to follow him and make a break down the main roads for the edges of the town. "Come on everyone! We have to draw that thing away from the populated areas!"

As they began to ride swiftly with the treant in hot pursuit, Laura looked over her shoulder and grimaced. "What are we going to do? There's no way we can possibly fight back against that giant monster!"

That was when Quinton stopped his horse and turned around to watch the giant Fomorian chasing them. This was looking very bad. Even if they were able to draw that thing away, they still had no means to put that monster down. Eventually it might get tired of chasing them and just come back to flatten all of Somerset Valley. He had to do something, and only one desperate idea came to his mind.

Noelle halted her horse along with Connor and they frowned in confusion, "Quinton! What's wrong? What are you doing?"

With a trembling hand, Quinton quickly reached for his golden wish coin and flipped it into the air behind his head, as if he was tossing a penny into a wishing fountain. "I wish there was a way to save my friends and the rest of the town from this giant monster!"

As the coin spun in midair, it erupted into a bright golden glow and released four motes of colorful light that zipped into the knights' horses.

"Whoah! What is going on here?" Connor exclaimed in shock as he felt his horse begin to resonate with energy.

"My wish… it's coming true," Quinton called back as he spurred his glowing horse forward, "Everyone, follow me!"

The others fell in behind the Spring Knight and found themselves enveloped in a wave of faerie magic as the horses grew in size and transfigured themselves into equally large armored battle titans, finally fusing together into one large warrior. The giant Fomorian treant froze in shock as it was confronted by the colossal metallic warrior. From a seemingly mystic pocket dimension within the titan, the four knights found themselves standing in control with a clear view of the battlefield before them.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Laura exclaimed while looking around and trying to orient herself.

Quinton focused his eyes forward, "Well, Power Rangers we know of have had to deal with giant monsters before, so I figured we needed a way to do that too. It was the only way to save all of us, and the rest of the town."

"You really sacrificed your wish for everyone?" Noelle asked in surprise.

"Well, it was either this or a giant chainsaw," Connor cut in gently as he gestured forward, "But now's not the time Noelle. We've still got a giant Formorian to deal with. Quinton, you want to take the lead on this one?"

The Spring Knight cracked his knuckles and willed their titan forward, "And get some payback? My pleasure. Let's go Paladin Megazord!"

As the Megazaord rushed forward and began to grapple with the treant, Laura gave a mild shrug, "Paladin Megazord huh? It has a nice ring to it."

"Laura? We're in the middle of a fight here. A little help?" Connor prompted her.

The Winter Knight sighed and helped will the Megazord's foot to move, "Oh, very well."

As they broke the grapple, the Megazord's foot came down on the treant's own root covered ankle causing the monster to roar in pain. As the monster abruptly dropped its guard, the Megazord wound up and smashed the treant in the mouth with its iron knuckle.

The dark treant tumbled backwards in a heap, but as it recovered, it dug its hands into the earth, causing more giant roots and vines to erupt from the ground to tangle the Megazord's lower body. While the Megazord staggered and tried to break free, Noelle grunted, "Hey Quinton, I don't suppose your wish for a Megazord included a sword… did it?"

The Spring Knight scratched his head for a moment and shrugged, "I don't know… let's find out."

He closed his eyes and focused, trying to mentally will the ambient magic of his wish into a little extra help. To his relief, a shimmering light burst from the Megazord's hand and a giant bladed weapon materialized for use.

"All right! Now it's time to prune the hedges!" Connor cheered as he made the titan grip the sword and free itself with two great cuts.

The giant dark treant rose to its feet and froze in confusion as Quinton took control and steered the Megazord forward. "Okay, let's to chop you down into firewood!"

The lumbering Fomorian gave a terrible groan as the Paladin Megazord came into range and brought down a devastating charged blow which hacked the monster in two. A great cloud of splinters and wood erupted before they burned away as the two halves of the monster fell to the ground and dissipated.

The other knights gave a cheer while Quinton gave a sigh of relief and lowered the sword arm of the Megazord. As the last bits of fiery debris and wood splinters rained down, the knights looked out over the town of Somerset Valley and saw that it had been relatively unharmed. By now, the cloud cover overhead had begun to clear allowing the sun to bathe the valley in a warm harvest colored glow. Quinton palmed his coin and gave a smile while watching the light of the evening on the horizon. "Come on everyone… I think it's time to go home."

* * *

That evening, the four knights gathered together for dinner at O'Doyle's Pub, not only to celebrate their victory, but to rest from their harrowing battle. As they sat and shared a warm meal, Quinton paused to pull out his expended gold wish coin and turn it around in his hand. A brief silence fell over the table as the others put down their utensils and watched him examine the treasure. Finally Quinton gave a sigh and put the coin down, looking up to the others with a faint smile.

"What you did today..." Laura began as she looked to him slowly, "Using your wish to save all of us and everyone in this town... that was pretty amazing."

"Very heroic and selfless of you too," Noelle added as she reached over to give Quinton's hand a squeeze.

The Spring Knight looked over to his roommate who gave a proud but tired smile, "They're right Quinton. All of us owe you our lives... so thank you."

Quinton's smile grew wider and he gave a sheepish chuckle from all the attention at the table, "It's okay. I know the rest of you would have done the same for me too, right?"

The three nodded before Laura picked up the coin with a small smile, "I wonder if we can still pawn this off and get some money for it."

Quinton snatched the coin back and frowned as Noelle gave the Winter Knight a gentle elbow to the side. Before Quinton could turn back to his meal, he spotted Kayla, his next door neighbor from back home and he stopped. She was sitting at a table across the room with another one of her female friends having some cheese fries and listening to some music.

Connor nudged his friend and gave a smile, "Well Quin, you may not have your wish coin anymore, but that doesn't mean you can't start trying to make some other dreams come true, right? You faced down a giant monster so how hard can this be?"

Quinton bit his lip and sucked in a deep breath before nodding, "Yeah… I'm not going to ask her out just yet, but I've got to start somewhere. The least I can do is start talking to her again."

"Sounds like a good plan," the Summer Knight nodded.

Connor clapped the Spring Knight's shoulder and watched as Quinton walked over toward the other end of the room where Kayla was sitting with one of her other female friend. While Quinton sat down and greeted Kayla with a timid smile, Connor grinned before turning back to his own two female friends.

"Since when did you become such an expert when it comes to women?" Noelle teased with a playful laugh.

Connor leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms with a bright smile, "It's really not hard Noelle. All you have to do is to start by making sure they're happy and taken care of."

At that moment, their server came by the table and asked, "Anything else I can get for you folks tonight?"

Connor immediately spoke up and gave a wink, "Maybe just top off the drinks of these two lovely ladies here and add a small ice cream sundae for each of them... on me."

As the waitress left, Noelle and Laura exchanged a look and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well... it's not a bad start," Noelle admitted, "Keep it up and we might actually start to think you know what you're talking about."

As he sat across the room talking to Kayla, Quinton glanced over and saw his three fellow knights erupt into another gale of laughter amongst each other. It was then that he was glad he had used his coin in the way that he did today. Amid the good food, the laughter, and the warm company of the pub, he wished that happy moment would never stop.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **The introduction of Stephen Gentum-Smith is just a little teaser for another OC who will be important in the future of this series. Thanks again _Moonlit Mortal_ , and thanks to everyone for reading. Next on the list, we'll all be set to chill out for a bit with our icy Winter Knight Laura Gremory. Until then!**


	11. Cold Shoulder

**Episode 6: Part 1**

It was a cold gray early November afternoon as the four Hibernian Knights sat together in one of the university's local cafés near the sports stadium. As they sat with cups of coffee or hot chocolate in hand, the four students continued to chat while warming up after having watched a football game outside in the chilly air.

"What a great way to end the afternoon," Connor Walsh grinned as he took a sip of coffee and enjoyed the warming feeling to his red cheeks, "We scored some great seats this year and the Somerset Strikers are now a ranked team after the win today."

"As long as we don't catch colds, then I guess it'll be worth it," Noelle shrugged as she reached over and took Connor's red and gold Somerset Strikers scarf from his chair and threw it around her own neck and shoulders with a little shiver.

Quinton couldn't help but chuckle a little, "We told you it was going to be cold before we left the dorm Noelle. I don't think your magic ring makes you immune to the winter chill."

The Autumn Knight sighed and curled up around her cup of hot chocolate, "I couldn't wear orange today. People would've thought I was cheering for the other team. Uh, you don't mind if I borrow this for now do you Connor?"

The Summer Knight gave a kind hearted laugh and shook his head before turning to their other comrade, "So Laura, how did you enjoy your first American college football game?"

Not surprisingly, the Winter Knight sat seemingly unperturbed by the cold air outside and she brushed aside some of her gold hair thoughtfully, "I suppose it was amusing enough, even if your version of football is a lot more barbaric than the matches we have back home. Ours takes patience and skill instead of having armored gladiators bashing their heads together in every scrum."

"Hey Connor, I think she just insulted you," Quinton grinned playfully, "Didn't you play a little football in high school?

Connor smiled and chuckled good natuerdly, "If you count being a small second string tight end, then yeah. Besides, you Brits play the same kind of game too. It's called rugby and they don't wear helmets either so who's the barbarian now?"

"Rugy is not football Connor," Laura replied while tossing a sugar packet at him, "What I meant was…"

She was interrupted as another young woman approached the table. She was also blonde with similar facial features and she was dressed in school colors while hurrying over to give Laura a little squeeze, "Laura! There you are! I thought I spotted you across the room."

The Winter Knight squirmed in momentary discomfort before returning the girl's hug and casting a sheepish look to her fellow knights. "Um… everyone? This is my older sister Abigail."

Abigail gave a bubbly laugh and patted her younger sister affectionately on the head, "Oh come now. Just call me Abi everyone. It's nice to meet you!"

Everyone made surprised introductions and Noelle shook the girl's hand, "Hi. I didn't know Laura had an older sister."

"She's a senior here at the college Noelle," Laura supplied, "That fact… well, it never came up in casual conversation."

The two boys exchanged an amused look while Abi put an arm around Laura's shoulder, "Somebody's got to make sure their baby sister is doing okay, right? You should have told me you were going to go to the game today. I promise I wouldn't have embarrassed you in front of your friends… though I'm just glad you made some here. You didn't tell me about them."

Laura grimaced and shifted in her seat, "Well… sorry?"

Abi waved it off and looked to the other Knights, "Mum and Dad are across the state and they were worried she'd be lonely here, what with the recent move to America and all."

"You're serious? Mum and Dad are actually interested in what I'm doing or how I'm feeling?"

"Laura… come on now. Don't be like that," Abi sighed gently as she tried to give her sister a cajoling squeeze. Laura shrugged herself off and brusquely rose from the table before heading out the door.

"Sorry everyone. I think I've had enough American football today. I'll see you guys back at the dorm."

The knights watched as Laura headed out the door with her older sister following close behind trying to calm her down. After the door closed, the three friends looked to each other.

"God… that was really weird," Connor mused while taking a drink of coffee.

Quinton nodded in agreement, "I know… it's like we just met the anti-Laura, or maybe whatever the opposite of an evil twin is?"

Noelle frowned slightly and sat up from the table, "Come on, don't be mean you guys. Something really upset Laura today. We should try to talk to her and help her out."

"You think you can get through to her?" Quinton asked with uncertainty.

The Autumn Knight gave a confident wink and headed out the door, "I think in a case like this, it's best to let a fellow girl handle it."

As she walked out the door, Connor abruptly sat up and tried calling out after her to no avail, "Wait… Noelle! Hold up! You still have my scarf! Hey!"

Unbeknownst to the knights, none of them paid any attention to the large black crow that was sitting on a nearby powerline. It had watched Laura walk out of the café followed by her sister and then by the rest of the knights. As it waited patiently, it heard some interesting things from their bantering before the bird flapped its wings and began to make its way toward the underground caverns... the place where its dark Fomorian overlord waited.

* * *

Deep in the woods at the outskirts of Somerset Valley, a cold wind blew as a demonic stag with jagged antlers and furs as white as snow dragged the limp body of a dead man by a small pond. As the bare trees swayed again in the chilly air, the monstrous creature extended its horrible teeth and began to make a meal of its latest victim. Amid the steam of the fresh kill and the messy crunching sounds, the monster stopped and raised its head as one of Lord Balor's black messenger crows flew into the clearing and landed on a nearby tree branch overhead.

As the bird settled, it gave a few noisy squawks which echoed in the woods. The demonic stag listened to the bird speak and nodded its head before it headed toward the waters of the pond. After a few moments, the creature began to shape shift into a human form. In this form, he was a tall well built male with fair features and cold hard eyes. While he knelt by the pond, he saw a large smear of blood still covering his mouth and hands and he calmly washed them away in the waters.

Once he rose to his feet, the monstrous man looked up to the bird and spoke, "I understand little one. You can go tell Lord Balor that I, Finnebar will answer his call. I won't hesitate to make a meal of the humans and if I can help to get rid of a knight, then all the better."

The bird screeched again and flapped its wings before taking off. Finnebar watched it go before he bent down to retrieve some of his victim's clothes and use them for himself. "It would seem that a way to the Winter Knight has presented itself. Who am I to waste a good opportunity?"

* * *

The next morning, after her morning classes, Noelle strolled across campus and caught sight of Laura leaving the library. The Autumn Knight hurried over and gave a friendly wave, "Hey Laura! Are you headed back to the dorm for lunch?"

Laura glanced over and gave a nod of her head in acknowledgement, "Actually, I was headed to the Union. I was going to eat at the food court there."

"Oh... well, mind if I join you?" Noelle asked brightly as they began to walk, "I haven't eaten either."

The Winter Knight simply shrugged as they passed through the crowds, "If you wish."

Once they reached the Union and found a spot to sit in the bustling food court, the two knights began to eat quietly until Noelle cleared her throat, "So... it was nice to meet your big sister yesterday. She seemed really nice."

Laura glanced up a moment before continuing to eat, "Abigail? Sure... she's great. She's always fussing over me and trying to make sure I'm okay."

"I take it you aren't on as great terms with your folks, huh?" Noelle prodded gently.

The Winter Knight gave an icy glare before continuing to eat, "That is none of your business Noelle. I'd ask that you kindly drop it."

Noelle bit her lip and stood her ground, "Listen Laura, something upset you yesterday and I want to try and help... so do the boys. You probably don't believe me, but that's the truth."

"And why would you, Connor, and Quinton care so much?" Laura challenged.

Noelle put down her sandwich, "Why? Because we're knights and you're one of us. When I heard your sister expressing concern about you making friends the other day... well, it made me feel kinda bad."

"I don't need your pity," Laura sighed while she began to fold up her napkin evasively.

"Maybe not, but maybe you could use a friend instead?" Noelle countered as she reached out and put a hand on her comrade's wrist. "You can trust me you know."

Laura stopped and stared at Noelle's hand and an unreadable expression crossed her face. For a moment, it almost seemed like the Winter Knight's normally stoic facade wavered for a moment before she took a deep breath and nodded. Noelle waited patiently as Laura sat back and frowned to herself in thought, "I... I've never really gotten the impression that my parents cared about me."

"Really? Your family seems pretty well off to me," Noelle said, "You guys are like descended from some noble family in Britain, right?"

Laura shook her head, "You misunderstand... my parents have always provided in the materiel sense, but they've never really cared about how I feel... about what I think, or what I believe."

The Autumn Knight scratched her head, "Sorry... you're right. You kinda lost me."

Laura sighed again, "I grew up the youngest of three sisters Noelle. As far as my parents are concerned, I've always just been a child. To them, they don't really expect anything of me but to just get married off and not be a nuisance. I think they're still stuck in the mentality of Georgian England."

Noelle knitted her brows for a moment, "So... you don't want to fall in love and get married one day?"

Laura flushed slightly and looked away, "I'm not saying that... I just... I just want it to be on my own terms... eventually. My parents have tried making some suggestions but I've rejected every potential suitor."

"Gee... must be nice to at least have options," Noelle muttered to herself in mild gloominess.

Laura gave her companion a rueful grin, "Believe me, it's not all fun and games. The people of nobility are always calculating and scheming. If I'm going to fight for myself, I suppose I have to be just as cunning and ruthless."

Noelle nodded slowly before looking to Laura, "So what do you want to do... if not become a housewife?"

Laura gave a sheepish smile and reached into her bookbag to pull out a history book. "To be honest... I want to study History and become an archeologist. Ever since I started reading the works of the American historian Gabriel Bishop, I want to be just like him."

Noelle paused for a long moment and gave her friend a soft smile, "You will Laura... and thank you for telling me all that."

The Winter Knight shrugged in mild embarrassment before waving it off, "Well... it would have been a little tougher being serious around the boys with all this."

"Give them some time," Noelle laughed gently, "They have good hearts too... you know that."

After the two female knights exchanged a smile, Laura turned in surprise to see her sister Abigail approach with a young well dressed fair featured man.

"Laura! Noelle! What a coincidence!" Abi exclaimed cheerfully as she greeted them, "This is a great chance for you to meet a friend of mine. I'd like to introduce you to Wendall Hart."

The handsome young man gave a slight bow of his head and reached out to take Laura's hand and kiss it, "You must be Laura, the little sister. Abi's told me a lot about you."

As she retracted her hand, Laura couldn't help but get a bad vibe from Wendall. He was an attractive boy, yet she found the sharp hard lines around his eyes somewhat off putting. "Really? What did she say?"

Wendall seemed a bit caught off guard before waving it off, "Oh... just lots of odd funny things like how close you are and how you're always hanging out."

Noelle tilted her head curiously to chime in, "Are you a senior here too?"

"Oh... uh, yes... I am," Wendall grinned as he gave a charming look toward Abi. "Abi and I have known each other for a while here. Isn't that right?"

The older Gremory girl seemed to have an odd smitten look on her face but she giggled and nodded. "I guess since it's senior year, we kinda just figured we'd give this dating thing a go before it's too late. We were planning on going out to dinner tonight in campus town so maybe we'll see you around."

"Yeah... maybe," Laura said while Noelle gave a cheerful wave to see the upperclassmen off.

Once they were out of sight, Noelle turned to the Winter Knight, "Uh Laura... is everything okay? You look kinda bothered again."

The Winter Knight frowned and sat down with a concerned look crossing her features, "Something's not right. I never remembered my sister mentioning anything about a potential boyfriend before... and why didn't he go with her to the game yesterday?"

"You didn't tell her about the rest of us," Noelle argued, "And there could be any number of reasons for that. Are you sure you aren't being paranoid?"

Laura glanced to the Autumn Knight, "Something seemed off about Wendall and the way he talked. I think I might want to keep an eye on my sister today, and I'd like to ask for your help again."

* * *

Meanwhile across town, Quinton walked into Kristen's antique shop that afternoon and took a look around. He could see a few other older customers browsing around while Kristen was busy showing off some fine china to a young couple at the far end of the room. As he walked toward the front desk, he peered around and called out quietly, "Connor? Hey, where are you?"

To his surprise, the Summer Knight popped up from behind the counter wearing a gaudy green tweed sportcoat and a matching green derby hat with a shamrock sticking out of it. Giving his roommate a wink, he began to speak in a highly exaggerated Irish accent, "Top o tha mornin' to ya mister. Me name is Paddy O'Furniture and ye came to the right place for some o' the state's finest antiques. Are ye lookin to buy a gift fer yer fair lass, or perhaps could I interest ye in procurin' a big long shillelagh?"

Once he got over his shock, Quinton crossed his arms with a laugh, "Connor, what are you doing? You look totally ridiculous."

"Aye... that I do," Connor chuckled before he dropped the lilting accent, "I was just cleaning out the back rooms and found this getup so I thought I'd have a little fun."

Quinton put his backpack down and smiled, "Well, at least I can't accuse you of being hilariously racist... considering you're making fun of your own people and all. You almost done with your shift today?"

"Yeah. I'll be done soon," Connor said before the door opened and a new figure walked in from the cold. The boys looked in surprise to see Kristen's boyfriend, Detective Damon Pierce walk in and rub his hands. As he neared the counter, he gave a bemused glance to Connor and suppressed a small laugh, "Nice hat kid. Is Kristen around?"

The Summer Knight pointed over toward the corner but Kristen was already heading back to the corner with a puzzled look on her face. "Damon? What are doing here? Is everything okay?"

The detective looked around quickly but kept his voice low, "I was just headed back to the station from an investigation and I wanted to give you a heads up. A couple hikers found the remains of two human bodies up in the northeast edge of the valley."

"Are we talking like murder victims here?" Conner asked curiously.

The detective glanced at him but Kristen waved her hand, "It's okay Damon. You can trust these two. I know them well."

Damon looked back to her and sighed, "We're not going to rule it out just yet. Right now, it's looking like some really nasty animal got them and started chewing them up... thing is, something about it doesn't make sense. The park rangers there noted puncture wounds on the bodies as if some male deer got them, but they were also chewed on by something with sharp teeth too. I guess I just came by to tell you to be careful."

"I will," she said putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder and giving him a quick kiss, "I'll have the boys here pass along word to the students to look out for large animals in the mean time."

Damon nodded and said his goodbyes before leaving the shop. Once he was gone, Quinton glanced to Connor with an expectant look, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The Summer Knight turned to Kristen and saw her nod, "Oh yeah. We'd better give the girls a call and get ready to mount up. We just might have to go hunt down a man eating Fomorian."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **There are a lot of shapeshifting monsters that eat people in Celtic lore, but this time the monster is sort of a combination of a kelpie and a wendigo. The monster's name is derived from Findhabair which roughly translates to "white phantom"**


	12. Noble Heart

**Episode 6: Part 2  
**

A few light snowflakes drifted through the chilly air as the Winter and Autumn Knights sat in the far corner of the same little Italian bistro that Laura had taken Quinton to several weeks ago. While they had little cups of cappuccino and biscotti, they tried to keep a low profile as they watched Abigail finishing dinner with her new "boyfriend" Wendall.

Laura kept her eyes focused while Noelle took a moment to glance at her phone and check a text message from Connor. As she put the phone away, Noelle took a bite of biscotti, "Looks like the boys are still out on patrol but they haven't found anything yet."

After a pause, she asked, "Do you think another Fomorian is lurking around the valley eating people now?"

"We'll worry about it if the problem gets worse," Laura said taking a sip of her drink, "Right now we have other things to worry about."

Noelle smiled, "Like your sister? You know Laura, it's nice seeing this side of you... one that's so concerned for others."

The Winter Knight glanced over for a moment and shrugged, "Abi has always been one of the few people who have been good to me. I could probably do a better job of expressing my gratitude, but right now, it's my turn to look after her."

As she said that, Wendall glanced over and spotted Laura watching their table. Instead of getting upset, he gave a grin and tossed some money on the table before taking Abi's hand and quickly leaving the bistro.

"Hey, come on! They're splitting!" Noelle exclaimed as she rose from her table but she was stopped by the waiter who pulled out the bill from his apron.

"Excuse me miss, are you going somewhere?"

Laura gave an exasperated growl and quickly rose before shoving the waiter aside and pushing a handful of money into his chest, "We don't have time for this. Keep the change. Now come on Noelle!"

The two girls hurried outside into the chilly night and began to pursue Abigail and Wendall through campus town. As they pushed past a few small crowds of students and locals, they were eventually led toward a quieter edge of campus town near a little riverwalk. They stopped a moment under the light of a street lamp and looked around, "Where did they go?"

Moments later, they stopped a young man passing by carrying a long sports bag. He wore a gray coat and looked to be a local student like them with fair features and blue eyes. Had Quinton been around, he would have recognized him right away. Laura approached and cleared her throat, "Excuse me sir... can you help us?"

The young man stopped in surprise from the pretty young woman in front of him and straightened up with a polite smile, "Of course. You can call me Stephen."

"Stephen... yes... charming," Laura said quickly, "My name is Laura. I'm looking for my sister. Tall blonde girl? She was with another man and they might have passed this way."

Stephen frowned in thought for a moment before nodding and pointing down a forking pathway with a few more stores, "Yes... they went that way. Is something wrong?"

"I don't know, there may be trouble. Thank you though!" Laura called as she began to follow Stephen's directions.

"Wait! If there's trouble I'll help," he offered while walking quickly behind the two girls.

Noelle gave a confused look to Laura but the Winter Knight was in a rush and pressed forward anyway. The three hurried down the street until they came to the edge of campus town where they saw Wendall waiting for them by a treeline leading into the surrounding woods. He stood with a malevolent smile and gripped Abigail's arm tightly while she began to struggle against him.

"Let go! You're hurting me!" Abigail cried.

Wendall growled and tightened his grip causing her to whimper in fear. The Winter Knight hurried over and clenched her fists, "That's enough you creep. Let go of my sister."

The young man laughed, "Oh, I've been waiting for you. Now that you've been lured in, I can drop this tiresome little charm spell on your sister."

Moments later, Wendall began a horrible transformation back into his true form, a horrific demonic stag with white fur, serrated teeth, and jagged antlers. As she took one look at the red eyes of the beast, Abigail gave a horrified cry and fainted before the monster Finnebar shoved her over toward the three startled humans.

Both Laura and Noelle rushed over to help Abi as she lay limply on the cold street. After seeing she was okay, they watched as the stag began to make its way forward before an arrow flew through the air and stuck in the flank of the monster. As the beast roared in pain, the girls turned in shock to see Stephen had drawn a small bow from his sports back and was readying another arrow to fire at the monster.

The mysterious archer swallowed his fear and steadied his breathing before giving a smirk and letting loose another arrow at Finnebar. The demonic stag jerked its head sideways at the last moment deflecting the arrow before pawing the ground furiously. Stephen lowered his bow and blinked in shock before he heard Laura give a shout to him, "Hey Stephen, get out of here while you still can!"

Stephen held his ground a moment and began to shake his head. This was the second time now that he'd been around a monster attack and he felt he had to do something.

"I can't. I won't let that that thing at you girls."

Laura gave an exasperated huff and rushed over to give him a shove, "Now's not the time for chivalry! Just run!"

Taken aback by Laura's ferocity, Stephen swallowed again in shock before taking off running. Once he was clear, the Winter Knight turned to her comrade, "Noelle, please get my sister somewhere safe. Don't let her get hurt."

Noelle gave a nod and grunted as she helped hoist Abigail up and drag her clear, "I'll be back to help you as soon as I can."

At that, Laura turned toward the demonic white stag and brandished her ring to call upon her armor in a blue flash of light and snow flakes, "Athru!"

"You cannot hope to best me alone Winter Knight," Finnebar chortled as he approached and flexed his neck muscles.

Laura calmly drew her icy rapier and raised her guard, "You Fomorians all seem to have a rather high opinion of yourselves. Let's see if you can back up your claims."

The stag snarled and charged forward, trying to trample the knight or gouge her with his large jagged antlers. Using her incredible grace and agility, Laura easy sidestepped the monster and parried aside the antler attacks with ease.

"Is that all? I almost thought you'd be a challenge," Laura taunted before Finnebar whirled around and charged again.

The Winter Knight jabbed her blade into the ground causing the ground to freeze while creating a row of icy spikes to jut out against the beast like a natural row of spearmen. The demon stag roared as it smashed through the spikes and continued on with its attack despite the injuries. Laura gasped in surprise while she braced herself and felt the wind knocked out of her as Finnebar rammed into her with his head, then tossed her aside with a sweep of the antlers. The stunned knight went skidding along the cold hard ground and raised her blade just in time to deflect an enchanted projectile follow up attack from the monster.

"Not so prideful now, are you Winter Knight?" snorted Finnebar.

As he charged again to try and trample his downed opponent, Laura slashed her blade against the ground creating a small slick sheet of ice to impede the monster's attack. The stag gave a furious bleating cry as it slipped upon the ice and fell over, skidding headfirst into a nearby building. Under any other circumstances, the sight would have looked comical, but in this life or death battle, all Laura could think about was getting up and protecting her sister.

As the stag rose again, he bled from some of the spots the ice spikes had punctured but still looked ready to fight. From the other end of the street, Laura suddenly spotted a pack of spriggan foot soldiers approach and block off any means of retreat for her. This was not looking good.

"Surrender knight… there's nowhere to run," Finnebar grinned triumphantly.

His words were suddenly cut short as two more Hibernian Knights entered the fray, armed for battle and mounted on their magic summoned horses. Laura watched in shock as both Connor and Quinton galloped in, knifing through the enemy ranks and routing the spriggan troops.

"Sorry for the delay Laura but the cavalry has arrived," Quinton called as he bashed aside a spriggan.

The Summer Knight slashed away another enemy and gave a nod, "We'll take care of these guys and keep them off you. The Fomorian's all yours if you want him."

By now, Laura had recovered her senses and faced down the stag while gripping her blade, "That sounds brilliant to me. Come on you four legged wanker. It's time to end this."

The demon stag growled and began to charge the Winter Knight at full speed. Laura got low and readied herself before using her agility to duck around the antlers and swing herself up onto the back of the monstrous beast. As she did, she drove her blade into its neck to brace herself while it began to thrash and attempt to buck her off.

"You horrible child!" Finnebar screamed with a mixture of pain and rage as he continued to try and buck the knight off.

Laura held on to the rapier for her life while driving it deeper and charging it with a little more wintery energy. As the demon stag thrashed again, it looked down in horror to see that the blade in his neck began causing his whole body to freeze up and solidify into ice.

The beast came to an abrupt stop and gave Laura just enough time to pull her sword free and jump off before Finnebar froze over. Giving one last swing of the sword, Laura slashed at the head of the stag and shattered the entire monster into pieces which dissolved away into dark magic.

Having exerted so much of her power in the battle, Laura's armor dispelled and she gave a sigh of relief while she turned to see Connor and Quinton chase off the last of the spriggans. As the two knights cantered their mounts back over to her, Noelle rejoined the group as well after getting Abigail to the safety of a local cafe.

"Nice solo takedown Laura," Quinton said while the boys dismounted and powered down, "That looked like a pretty fierce creature there."

The Winter Knight nodded before turning to Noelle. "How is my sister?"

"Resting… Noelle replied, "I took her to a nearby café and there are a few people looking after her at the moment."

Laura nodded in relief as she spoke in a slightly quavering voice, "Thank you… all of you… thank you for helping me and Abi today."

Connor gave a smile and put a friendly arm over the Winter Knight's shoulders for a moment, "Don't mention it. That's what good friends do, right?"

Quinton chimed in too, "We know Abi isn't like the rest of your family and we knew how important she is to you… even if you didn't want to show it before."

For a minute, Laura couldn't help but give her friends a bright smile and she looked like her older sister. Once the moment passed, she cleared her throat and began to walk in the direction Noelle had come from, "Right then... I think I'd like to check up on Abi now, and I'd like to hurry. It's getting a bit nippy out here, don't you think?"

"Yeah… I agree. I am feeling a little cold here," Connor said as he rubbed his bare neck and gave a pointed look over toward Noelle who was still wearing his winter scarf.

"Hmm, too bad. I think I might just hold on to this for a little while longer," the Autumn Knight giggled mischievously as she hurried after Laura and dodged Connor's grab.

While he watched Connor chasing after her protesting, Quinton shook his head with a smile before glancing down and seeing the arrow that had fallen from the slain Fomorian. He picked it up a moment and frowned in thought before giving a shrug. For now, the important thing was everyone was safe and the danger had passed. Setting the arrow down, the Spring Knight turned and hurried after his friends to get out of the cold.

* * *

Back in the Underworld, the warlord king of the Fomorians furiously kicked over a table in his Great Hall. As he stormed back to his throne, Balor batted aside a brazier and growled to himself while staring at the dying embers that had fallen to the floor. The human knights had won several battles now and they only seemed to be growing stronger. Even more frustrating, he was still trapped in the Underworld and unable to coordinate his forces as well as he liked. Even if word of his return might have begun to spread in the Faerie Realm, it was a blessing that the Four Courts were still so divided and disorganized.

As the warlord stewed over those thoughts, he stopped when he heard the approach of a servant enter the hall. Unlike many of the monstrous Fomorians among the rank and file, the figure that approached the throne was a thing of beauty. She was a young slender woman with long flowing red hair and green colored eyes. Her skin was fair and unblemished and her features were just short of angelic. As she approached gracefully, her flowing green dress swept delicately over the floor accenting her comely figure in the light of the dying embers.

"What troubles you my lord?" the woman said in a honeyed voice as she bowed respectfully. "I was passing through and couldn't help but notice your anger."

"Leave me be Leanansidhe," the warlord snarled petulantly, "I have no need of your scheming and trickery right now."

The young fey woman ambled over to the fallen embers and picked up a hot coal, seemingly unaffected by the heat. As the coal glowed in reddish orange light that matched her hair, she turned it over in her hand thoughtfully. "Or perhaps you do Lord Balor. I understand you've been involved in a little proxy war against the human champions of the Faerie Courts. Perhaps you could use someone who can assist your warriors through planning and calculation."

Balor turned his one good eye on her skeptically, "Do you really think you have what it takes to do that?"

Leanansidhe put down the coal and gave a cat-like smile, "Of course. Both you and I know that I am rather unique and different as far as the fey go."

The Formorian warlord sat in deep thought for a long time until he finally gave a slow nod, "Very well Leanansidhe. You shall be given a chance. I want you to bring misery to the humans and to rid me of those accursed knights."

The young fey woman gave a dark smile and bowed again, "As you wish Lord Balor. I will not disappoint you."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **To answer the Guest review question, yes. I'm well aware that Celtic can be a catch all term for the Irish, Scottish, Welsh, etc. I won't be limiting myself to only Irish folklore so I will be taking ideas from those similar cultures too. About a specific "selkie" plot in the future, the best answer I can give is maybe. I haven't made a final decision yet.**

 **Last but not least, we'll finish up the character focus chapters for now with our Summer Knight Connor Walsh and introduce the dangerous new Fomorian general Leanansidhe. Until then, thanks for reading everyone!**


	13. Fugue

**Episode 7: Part 1**

The school bell sounded and students filed out of their classrooms of the science building to enjoy the end of their morning classes. As they walked down the bustling hallways from their Biology class, Connor Walsh and Noelle Moreau discussed the quiz they had just taken.

"Geez… we studied really hard for that quiz but I'm not sure I even did that great," Noelle sighed as she pulled out her trademark orange wool hat and prepared to walk back out into the cold air. "How do you think you did?"

"Probably not much better," Connor admitted glumly before his phone buzzed and he stopped to check the message.

The two halted and Noelle watched as a warm smile lit up Connor's face before he tucked his phone away. "Good news?"

"Oh… sorry about that," he replied as he buttoned up his peacoat and they walked outside, "It was my mom. She said that my cousin will be coming in to visit for Thanksgiving in a couple weeks. He's a Navy officer stationed out in Hawaii. He and I don't get to see each other very often, but we're still really close and I love hanging out with him."

"That sounds like a nice little holiday treat for your family then," Noelle said brightly as they crossed the quad and headed toward the Student Union for lunch.

The Summer Knight nodded again with a little laugh, "That's not even the best part. He'll be bringing his fiancée along too. I guess while he was stationed out there, he met some local Hawaiian girl and fell head over heels for her. I'm sure we'll all have some fun teasing him about it."

"Aww, now that sounds really romantic," Noelle sighed dreamily before the two heard their names being called. They turned in surprise to see their friend Eliza McConnel standing in front of the bulletin board posting signs just outside the entrance of the Union.

Hey! Connor! Noelle! I'm glad I spotted you," Eliza grinned as she hurried over and handed them some colorful fliers, "There's going to be a big student music concert coming up in a few days. You should totally come by and invite your other friends too!"

Connor studied the flier and raised an eyebrow, "Sure… looks like this thing is going to be a mini benefit concert?"

Eliza nodded slowly, "Yeah… Adam Duerte, one of the seniors in the music program just fell ill and is in the hospital. Everyone loves him and was really looking forward to some of his new material that he was coming out with. Just recently, he was working feverishly on composing a bunch of new songs and was hoping to get recognized by some talent scouts that were going to be in town."

"Is that what made him sick? Working too hard?" Noelle asked curiously.

Eliza simply shrugged, "Hard to say. It was so strange and sudden. He just keeled over and fell into a coma for a few days."

"Geez. I hope something isn't going around campus," Connor muttered, "If it's a virus, that sounds pretty dangerous."

Eliza sighed then gave a hopeful look, "Well as awful as it was, I still hope you guys can come. We'll have a whole bunch of local talent playing to show our support for him."

Connor smiled and nodded toward his friend, "Yeah, sounds good Eliza. We'll be there. In the mean time, you want to join us for lunch? We were just heading inside."

As the three walked inside the Union, the newly elevated Fomorian general Leanansidhe walked the grounds of Somerset Valley University and approached the Union. By now, she had changed her clothes and appearance so that she could blend in with the other Somerset students and get a sense of what she was up against. As she ambled by, she caught sight of Eliza's fliers on the bulletin board and gave a curious smile. While her first priority was still finding the knights and drawing them out, she suddenly had a clever idea to do that while giving herself a power boost. She took the flier off the board and tucked it away into her coat with a devilish smile. For now, she would just have to be a little more patient.

* * *

Later that week, the four knights sat together in the seats of one of the school's small auditorium theaters used for plays and small recitals. The event looked to be well attended and organized as a good sized crowd of students enjoyed performances from various student musicians. All sorts of genres and styles of music were being performed with a focus more on country and folk music which Adam Duarte had been known to perform.

While they sat enjoying the show and listening to Eliza do a set of Irish tunes on her guitar, Quinton gave Connor a little nudge in the side, "Hey man, I'm surprised you didn't decide to sign up and perform. The girls and I thought you were pretty good on your fiddle when you played for us at O'Doyles."

The Summer Knight shrugged, "I probably would have, but Eliza has this bad habit of springing these things on me last minute so that I have no time to prepare."

As Eliza finished her set and left the stage amid cheering and applause, she was met by a beautiful young red headed female student carrying a small gold colored lyre. The disguised Leanansidhe hurried up with a hopeful look on her face and greeted Eliza.

"Uh, excuse me miss. I know you're one of the event organizers and I was hoping I could perform too. I'm really sorry I'm late and I didn't get a chance to register. Adam is a friend of mine too and I wanted to do something for him."

Eliza gave a kind hearted smile and shrugged, "Yeah sure. Why not? Another musician couldn't hurt. You can go next, uh…"

"Leanne," the young fey woman smiled brightly as she shook Eliza's hand, "And thank you! I intend to floor the audience with my music tonight."

As Leanansidhe walked up on stage and took a seat with her lyre, the audience began to quiet down as they all turned to look at the mysterious new performer. None of the other music students recognized her and wondered if she was a new freshman or maybe a local girl. From where they sat in the audience, both Quinton and Connor were captivated by the red headed girl in the green dress on stage.

"I… it can't be…" Connor stammered in complete shock. "She's…"

"I know what you mean," Quinton said dreamily, "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

Laura and Noelle both rolled their eyes before Connor shook his head, "No, it's not that… I think I know her... when we were young and…"

He was cut off as Leanne gave an angelic smile and introduced herself. As she began to strum the little harp, she started to sing a song in the old Gaelic tongue. The song was lovely but tinged with a sense of longing and melancholic sadness. Each note of the melody blended and harmonized with her honeyed voice drawing the rapt attention of all the people in the room.

"Oh my God…" Laura said in a hushed whisper, "This is the most beautiful song I've ever heard."

Both Quinton and Noelle nodded as small tears welled up in the corners of their eyes having been moved by the unearthly music. Only Connor remained semi-focused, instead fixating on Leanne's face while trying to recall some old memory from long ago.

He didn't get long to think as he suddenly felt himself grow slightly numb and light-headed. Whether it was from the music or some other strange magic he couldn't quite tell. He glanced over and saw his three friends all show signs of discomfort before he turned his eyes toward the rest of the crowd. To his shock, Connor watched as the other students that were present all began to sway and faint one by one.

While each fatigued student collapsed to the floor, the lyre of Leanne twinkled with the unearthly light of fairy of magic. She wore a dark smile on her face and closed her eyes as if savoring the feeling that her magic lyre was inflicting on the crowd. Whatever she was doing, she was using some dark enchantment and drawing strength from it.

As the other students collapsed and fainted in weakness, Connor turned to his fellow knights who were the only remaining spectators, "Come on everyone… we have to stop that witch."

He staggered to his feet and called upon his armor along with the others in a flash of light. At that, Leanansidhe opened her eyes and leveled her gaze upon the four warriors in front of her. She gave a surprised look before breaking into a smile, "Well… isn't this fortunate. I didn't think I'd be able to draw all four knights into the crowd today. I hope you enjoyed my music."

"I think we've heard enough," Connor retorted feeling his strength return as the powers of the knights' fey armor protected the four. "Who are you and what have you done to these people?"

The red headed woman laughed and transfigured her college student clothes into that of a regal flowing green Celtic style dress. While still striking and beautiful, she took on a somewhat wilder more aggressive appearance, "I am Leanansidhe, handmaiden to Lord Balor and a new war chief of the Fomorian Host."

"No way! She's one of Balor's field commanders?" Noelle gasped in shock.

The fey woman gestured to the fallen spectators, "Your precious people here are still alive, but they've graciously donated some of their life force energy to me so that I may end yours."

"I've had enough of her," Laura snarled as she drew her rapier and surged forward up the stage, "Let's give her a curtain call!"

Leanansidhe sniffed and easily evaded all of Laura's swift strikes with ease. As Laura shifted her stance and went for another attack, she was shocked as Leanansidhe summoned a Celtic sword of her own and parried the slash before striking the Winter Knight away with a counter blow. Laura flew off the stage and landed hard on some chairs in a stunned heap while Noelle and Quinton jumped in to assist.

As Noelle hurled her curved falcata sword like a boomerang, Leanansidhe dodged while blocking a strike from Quinton's sickle. As the Spring Knight tried to charge his weapon for another attack, the fey witch sniffed and waved her arm causing the weapon's magic to temporarily fizzle. "You think you can stop me with that petty magic?"

She grabbed Quinton by his shoulder plate and hurled him into Noelle with surprising strength as the Autumn Knight caught her blade and tried to charge forward. Like Laura, the two knights were sent tumbling off the stage in a dazed tangle of armored limbs. Leanansidhe turned with a malicious grin toward Connor while he bent over Laura to make she was okay first. "And now that just leaves you Knight of Summer."

Connor growled and drew his own sword now seeing his three comrades in trouble, "I don't know where you came from or what trick you're trying to play on me, but I'm not going to let you hurt my friends."

The witch laughed and flew off the stage before locking blades with the knight. Both combatants staggered from the force of the impact and momentarily skidded on the ground. As they exchanged blows with their swords, Leanansidhe lashed out with her free hand and struck Connor with a powerful blow to the side of the head. As he staggered for a moment, his helmet went flying off and clattered to the floor.

To his surprise, Leanansidhe froze when she saw him and lowered her guard slightly. She gave an almost confused frown and murmured quietly to herself, "Connor?"

In his moment of desperation, the Summer Knight tried to regain initiative and drove his enemy back with a forceful push of his weapon. Leanansidhe backpedaled for a moment and was caught off guard by the Summer Knight's sudden follow up attack, turning her body just in time to mostly evade the blow. Connor's blade glanced off the edge of the lyre which was slung around the witch's side and the sword made a small tear at the edge of the faerie's waist section of the dress.

She recoiled and backed off as Connor stood his ground and lowered his own weapon slightly as if encouraging them to both stop fighting. Leanansidhe growled to herself and waved her arm, retreating from battle in a puff of green smoke. When the haze cleared, the Summer Knight remained standing in place trying to calm his breathing before sheathing his blade.

"What happened there?" Laura asked as she slowly pulled herself up to her feet with Quinton and Noelle's help. "You looked like you had a clear shot on that Fomorian."

"I'm not sure she's a Fomorian. She can't be," Connor frowned to himself.

"Connor? What's wrong? You look really spooked," Noelle prompted gently.

He shook his head and knelt down to check on the fainted form of Eliza, "I'll explain later and we need to talk to Kristen… but first we should try and get help for these people."

The other three exchanged an uneasy glance before nodding and going to find help for all the comatose concert-goers.

* * *

Later that evening, the four Hibernian Knights went into town and gathered for an after hours conference within Kristen's antique shop. As they sat down by the crackling fireplace, they recounted their sudden encounter with the mysterious new Fomorian general and how all the victims had been taken into the local hospital for bedrest. Kristen sat with her hands folded in a thoughtful manner before Quinton shifted uneasily in his seat, "So that's what happened Kristen… any idea what we're up against?"

The Druid paused and frowned to herself before leaning back in her chair, "According to old Irish legends, Leanansidhe is a beautiful but monstrous creature who likes to take mortal lovers or admirers. The name itself roughly means "faerie lover" and is derived from a similar meaning in old Gaelic."

"If she's a lover, she didn't seem to be too affectionate," Laura pointed out while still rubbing a bruise on her thigh that she had received from the battle.

Kristen nodded slowly, "In the old legends, Leanansidhe is a muse who was especially drawn toward artists and musicians and she often grants them brilliant inspiration and creativity… all in exchange for the mortal's love and devotion. Unfortunately, she feeds off their life force and often causes her victims to go mad and waste away quickly until they die."

"Wow… that sounds pretty morbid," Noelle shivered, "Almost like a vampire creature… but it does explain why Adam, Eliza, and all the rest of those music students were so susceptible to her powers."

Kristen nodded again before turning to Connor who had been unusually quiet, "Connor, you said the monster looked familiar to you."

"She's not a monster," he insisted forcefully, "She can't be... she's just Leanne."

The others fell silent and stared at him for a long moment while the sounds of the crackling fire filled the void.

"I grew up with her," the Summer Knight said quietly, "At least, I think I did... Leanne MacClure lived just across the street from me and we played together all the time when we were little kids. She was the first friend I made when my family moved here to Somerset Valley."

"That can't be right," Laura reasoned, "Leanansidhe's an ancient legend. I'm willing to bet humans and faeries don't age the same way. Aren't many of the elves of the Four Courts at least several hundreds of years old?"

"I know it sounds crazy Laura, but I can't explain it either," Connor sighed in frustration.

Quinton cleared his throat, "You know Connor, among the four of us you're the one with musical talent. Do you think maybe this faerie's crazy mojo is just messing with your head right now?"

"Why don't you tell us a little more about this Leanne you grew up with," Kristen said calmly as she raised a hand to quiet the others.

Connor sighed, "I moved here just before I got to middle school and the transition was kinda rough on me. I remember I got picked on a lot and had trouble making friends."

"Now I find that a little hard to believe," Quinton said with a gentle chuckle.

Connor gave a dark smile and shrugged, "The MacClures were my neighbors across the street and Leanne was the first one to reach out and be my friend. She was always really outgoing and adventurous and we wound up becoming great friends. We'd always play together or go exploring around town to find fun… you know, typical kid stuff."

"What happened to her?" Noelle asked gently.

Connor looked toward the fire and his face grew dark, "To be honest… I don't know. She just went missing one day and no one ever saw her again. Leanne and I often played at the edges of the woods when we were young and she was always trying to explore deeper and deeper. I had always been too scared to go, especially since she had gotten in trouble a few times by her parents for it. Some think she was kidnaped while others think a wild animal might have gotten her… either way, no one ever found any trace of her."

The others fell silent again while listening to the story before Connor looked back to them, "After all that happed, I decided to make something positive out of it and follow her example. Because Leanne was brave and friendly and outgoing, she had helped me when I felt shy and lonely so I wanted to do the same for others… even if I don't always get it right."

"Which explains a lot then," Laura said quietly with genuine sympathy in her voice.

Quinton also gave his roommate a grateful nod having gained a completely new perspective on their friendship.

"Sorry guys. I didn't mean to get so dark just now," Connor said in slight embarrassment, "It's just something I don't like to bring up around others."

"But it's still good that you told us," Kristen replied, "We can always try to figure out later if there's some connection between those events but right now the fact remains that Leanansidhe or whoever she is, still poses a threat... especially since she's hurt several students with her powers."

"How are we going to fight her Kristen?" Noelle asked, "Leanansidhe didn't look like it on first glance, but she's actually really tough."

The Druid furrowed her brow and thought before looking to the other knights, "Starting tomorrow morning, I'm going to do some more research and look into it. In the mean time, you four should stay ready to respond in case she shows up again. At the very least we can try to chase her off again."

Connor nodded and rose from his seat, "Sounds like a plan. If it's all the same with you guys, I'd like to make a quick hospital visit tomorrow to make sure Eliza and the other students are okay. Whether she's a general of Balor or not, we're going to make sure that Leanansidhe pays for hurting our friends."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **To the Guest reviewer question, I do plan on following through with some guest appearances from the other series. Remember, good world building takes time and patience. I don't believe in just rushing to get to crossovers without a purpose and natural development within the series plot... at least that's my philosophy about good storytelling. We'll get there in time so just trust me.**


	14. Countersong

**Episode 7: Part 2  
**

The next morning, bright light filtered into the recovery ward of Somerset Valley Hospital as Connor sat down in a chair at Eliza's bedside. As she lay in bed, the young musician cracked her eyes open and gave a tired smile, "Connor… I wasn't expecting to see you. This is a nice surprise."

The Summer Knight returned the smile to his friend, "Hey... how are you feeling?"

"Exhausted," she sighed, "I feel like I just ran a marathon. The doctors said I was going to be okay, but I just need to rest."

Connor nodded, "That's good. I'm glad you and the other victims are going to be okay… but I'm really sorry you got hurt."

"Don't' be. How were any of us supposed to know that a monster attack was going to happen? I'm more curious how you and your other friends didn't wind up here too."

Connor cleared his throat and replied a little evasively, "Oh... well, when we started feeling weird we made a run for it. I guess we just got lucky."

"Yeah…" Eliza said as she lay back on her pillows, "Still, this sucks being laid up in here."

"It can't be all bad," Connor chuckled as he pointed out a small pile of flowers and stuffed animals on a nearby shelf. "Seems like you've got a lot of well wishers and admirers."

Eliza smiled, "Yeah, my boyfriend Greg came by earlier and brought about half of that stuff. Still, I kinda wish he brought my guitar and that I was strong enough to play."

"You really should be focusing on resting and getting strong again," Connor pointed out but Eliza shook her head with a light laugh.

"No, you've got it wrong there. Music is my life. It's what I'm studying here and it's what I want to do for a living. Music is what makes me stronger and I know it can help me beat the effects of that monster's music."

Connor sat in silence for a moment thinking over Eliza's words when inspiration struck him. He gave a bright smile and reached over to squeeze his friend's hand, "Eliza! You're a genius! I think you're on to something there!"

She blinked in surprise as he shot up from his seat, "I am?"

Connor nodded and began to hurry out the door, "I'm sorry Eliza, I've gotta run and take care of something really important right now but I promise I'll be back."

"Oh… okay. Are you sure you're feeling well too?"

The Summer Knight smiled and gave a thumbs up, "Trust me. You'll be feeling better soon enough Eliza. Just focus on getting well!"

Eliza McConnel raised a confused eyebrow before lying back in bed. Whatever that was about, she just had to trust him. Besides, she was too tired to do anything else useful at the moment.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Student Union Quinton sat in one of the lounges sketching a picture on his art pad while Laura and Noelle reclined on a couch watching some television. For the time being, everyone decided it was best to just try and stay relaxed before any new attacks from the Fomorians flared up again. After having flipped through several channels Laura gave a bored sigh and handed off the remote controller to Noelle before she got up to check on Quinton.

As she approached the Spring Knight, she spied the subject he was sketching and raised an eyebrow. To her surprise, it was a familiar lovely long haired female in an ancient flowing Celtic dress. "Really Quinton? You're sketching a picture of Leanansidhe?"

Quinton looked up and gave a sheepish shrug, "Sorry. I couldn't help it. I guess some of her charm rubbed off and it inspired me."

The Winter Knight gave a sigh as she snatched up the sketch book and lightly smacked him over the head with it. "If that knocked some sense back into you, maybe we can use that for target practice next time we throw darts at O'Doyle's pub."

"Or we could use it for a Wanted poster," Noelle joked lightly as she flipped off the television and joined her friends. "I just hope Kristen can figure something out before the town comes under attack again."

No sooner had she said that was when Laura's phone began to ring and she checked the screen, "Oh Noelle, you just had to say that didn't you?"

The Winter knight picked up and answered, "Yes Kristen, I'm here... yes, I understand. We'll be there."

She hung up quickly and looked to her two friends, "Well everyone, it looks like the witch is back for a rematch. Leanansidhe is attacking just east of campus. I'm guessing she means to steal more energy from people."

"What about Kristen? Has she come up with anything yet?" Quinton asked quickly.

The Winter Knight shook her head, "She's still researching at the moment so we're on our own. Connor should be on his way and he's going to meet us soon."

"All right, what are we waiting for?" Noelle answered while reaching for her magic ring, "Let's ride!"

On the other side of campus, Connor hurried from his room carrying his violin case in one hand while trying to make a phone call with the other. When he heard a response on the other end, Connor gave a relieved sigh, "Kristen! Thank goodness! I need your help. I think I figured out a way to outmaneuver Leanansidhe next time she shows up."

"You couldn't have better timing," the Druid replied from a desk at her antique shop. She was talking to him on her phone while paging through several large dusty old tomes on faerie lore that had been collected by her order. "I just contacted the other knights. Leanansidhe is attacking just east of campus town right now. You've got to get over there ASAP."

The Summer Knight blinked in momentary shock before giving a nod, "Right, I'm on my way but I need to run an idea by you."

"Fire away," Kristen replied while she kept paging through her books.

As Connor burst out the doors of the dorm with his instrument tucked under his arm, he looked around to get his bearings, "Is it possible to undermine the magic of Leanansidhe's lyre with other music?"

From where she sat at her desk, Kristen stopped and thought for a long moment, "I... suppose it's possible. There are many fey in the older legends that have been known to enchant humans with their music so it stands to reason that music itself may contain some kind of inherent power."

"Great, I'm bringing my fiddle into battle with me. I want to see if I can counter Leanansidhe's melody with one of my own," Connor smiled grimly.

"You intend to duel her and play over her own music?"

The Summer Knight shook his head, "Not exactly, I'm going to use music theory against her... the ideas of counterpoint and counter melody. I should be able to piggyback off her magic effects while twisting the music to my own purpose."

Kristen nodded and gave a tense smile, "I hope you're ready for an impromptu concert then. Good luck Connor."

He nodded and hung up the phone only to run right into another student.

"Hey! Watch where you're going buddy," Stephen Gentum Smith frowned as he dusted off his gray wool coat in annoyance.

"Sorry man. I didn't see you there. I'm in a big rush, so I gotta go!" Connor apologized quickly as he gave a contrite gesture and continued running toward the east side of campus.

Stephen could only watch him run off before shaking his head to himself and continuing on home toward his own dormitory.

* * *

Despite having arrived at the battlefield early, the other three Hibernian Knights called their weapons and armor hoping they could drive off the mysterious new Fomorian commander. Unfortunately, the battle had not been going very well for them so far. The three knights were thrown backwards again from another punishing burst of energy as Leanansidhe twirled her sword and laughed. While the knights lay stunned on the ground, their armor dispelled in the wake of the advancing Fomorian commander.

"This is not looking good," Quinton groaned, "Anyone have a new plan?"

Leanansidhe calmly sheathed her sword and drew her golden lyre, "I'm afraid you have no more need of a plan Sir Knight. Without your enchanted armor to protect you, I'm going to take your lives and then give your rings to Lord Balor myself."

With that, she began to strum the lyre and sing a soothing song with the reverberating notes. Despite the best efforts of the three downed knights to mentally resist the spell, they felt their bodies weaken and their very strength leave them.

"I can barely move… I can't… go on," Noelle sighed as she slumped to her side.

Even in the face of the beautiful music, Laura gritted her teeth and tried to will herself to stand, "Don't give in you two… we can't fall here…"

Just as the three began to grow even more fatigued, they heard the sound of a fiddle coming from behind. It was playing a counter melody against Leanansidhe's, one that harmonized with hers but changed the song's tone to a major key, resulting in music that was brighter, cheerful, and more lively.

The red headed fey woman glanced up in surprise and her features twisted into anger as the three students turned to see the Summer Knight advancing forward. He was clad in his armor but instead of a sword in hand, he carried a fiddle and a bow, defiantly playing against his Fomorian enemy.

"How dare you!" she cried in outrage as the power of her music waned. She stopped her own song and reared back to throw a projectile spell at him.

The moment Leanansidhe stopped her song, Connor swiftly set down his instrument and rushed forward while drawing his blade. The general barely fired off her spell in time as Connor slashed and deflected it away at point blank range.

Leanansidhe stumbled back from the aggressive onslaught of the Summer Knight and tried to reach for her sword but he was too fast and brought his own blade back down toward her. The witch gave a furious cry as she desperately brought her other hand around to block the blow with her lyre. Connor gave an angry shout and ignited his blade with Summer fire, watching as it smashed apart the lyre and sent both combatants flying backwards in a small shockwave.

"No! What have you done!" Leanansidhe cried in a near hysterical shriek while stumbling to her knees, "My lyre!"

Everyone on the battlefield stopped and watched in stunned silence while the destroyed lyre glowed and released motes of light back into the air. Amid the beautiful glittering sight, the motes of energy dispersed and made their way back to their sources, those whose vitality had been stolen by the vampiric fey woman.

Leanansidhe slumped down for a moment, both in anguish at her destroyed instrument and at all the power she had collected leaving her at once. Connor rose to his feet and advanced again with a blazing sword, "It's over Leanne. I'm not going to let you hurt any more innocent people… especially not my friends."

"Stop calling me that!" she screamed at him as she drew her own sword angrily, "I don't know who that is, and I don't know what you're talking about! Spriggans, to me!"

With a wave of her hand, the fey woman summoned a platoon of spriggan warriors to back her up while the other knights regrouped around Connor. The Summer Knight glanced over at his comrades and hefted his blade, "Sorry I'm late everyone. Are you guys up for a little encore performance right now?"

They all gave a smile and nodded before raising their rings and calling on their powers once again, "Athru!"

Leanansidhe and her spriggan escorts shielded their eyes for a moment against the bright light before they saw the four knights draw their swords and level them together, "Four Swords, One Heart! Hibernian Knights... To Arms!"

The moment the knights broke their unified formation, they rushed forward to clash with the Fomorian foot soldiers. As they collided with the first rank and began to slash their way through, Laura pushed aside another spriggan and waved the Summer Knight through.

"We'll clear the way for you Connor! Take out that general!"

Connor gave a grateful nod to his female comrade before continuing his charge and slashing aside the last of the rear rank spriggan body guards. Without wasting any time, he attacked Leanansidhe directly and locked swords with her.

The unnerved Fomorian commander gave more ground as Connor pressed his attack, "Put down your weapon! If you really are Leanne, then you've got to remember me! We were childhood friends!"

"I don't have friends," she snarled as she tried to ward him off with another wild swing of her own sword. "Especially not with the enemies of Balor."

Connor parried her blow and disarmed her with a quick counter move. Giving a shout, he swung his curved blade and unleashed a burst of Summer fire that blew back Leanansidhe and separated the two combatants with a small wall of flames.

"I don't believe that," the Summer Knight said sternly as he stood his ground, "As long as you fight for Balor I want you to stay away from this town and from my other friends."

Leanansidhe glared at him through the flickering fires that separated them before giving a sniff, "You may have won a small victory today Summer Knight, but mark my words… Lord Balor will have his revenge on you and your friends."

With that, she waved her arm and retreated from the battlefield in another cloud of green smoke. Connor stood in place, watching his opponent withdraw before he turned to see his three fellow knights approach from behind. As the small wall of flames died down, the knights dispelled their armor and exchanged relieved smiles.

Noelle was the first to step up and give the Summer Knight a small relieved hug, "Are we glad to see you."

As he put an arm over her, he smiled while Quinton approached and handed him his fallen fiddle and bow, "Thanks for the help back there Connor, you really saved our necks today."

"No," he chuckled as he let go of Noelle and looked over his fiddle, "Eliza and Kristen were the ones behind this win. This was a team victory today."

Laura crossed her arms and calmly surveyed the battlefield, "Then I guess it's only fair that we should go share the good news with them, don't you think?"

The Summer Knight gave a nod toward her with a tired smile, "Sounds good to me. Lead the way Laura."

* * *

Later that evening, Leanansidhe sat by herself near a small pond deep in the woods at the edges of Somerset Valley. The caves leading back to the Underworld and Balor's liar lay nearby, but the fey general was in no mood to return at the moment. Instead, she sat by the moonlit water looking into it while contemplating her past battles with the Hibernian Knights. They were a formidable band of warriors protecting this region, despite their recklessness and inexperience. While strong, they were certainly not invincible. Now that she had seen them in action, she could report to Lord Balor and devise new strategies to seize control of the valley. Once they could establish their foothold here, the Four Courts and the Faerie Realm would be next.

Still... something had perturbed her during the battle. It hadn't been that she was exactly defeated today, but rather it was she who defeated herself. She had given ground and faltered in battle against the Summer Knight. But why? The fleeting moments of doubt and uncertainty clouded her mind as the moonlight shone down from above illuminating the pool of water before her. For the briefest moment, she almost saw her own reflection ripple and change with her hair taking on a more auburn and off-reddish color.

She frowned and splashed the water aside before rising to her feet and heading toward the Underworld caves. There was no time to waste on such idle thoughts and feelings. She had work to do... namely finding a way to thwart her new enemies.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the dormitory Connor sat by himself in his room looking out the windows toward the gentle snow that had begun to sprinkle down in the night air. In the light of the old fashioned street lamps outside, it was truly a beautiful and peaceful sight. Despite the serenity that had fallen over the valley, the Summer Knight couldn't help but think of everything that had happened.

While the people who had been hurt by Leanansidhe's enchantment made full recoveries, the fact remained that a dangerous Fomorian general had joined Balor's ranks making the battle against him that much more difficult. Leanansidhe had proven herself to be a deadly foe and yet, Connor couldn't help but wonder if by some dark sorcery or terrible curse that the monster they were fighting was in fact a fellow human... and a friend that he cared about. If so, would he be able to steel his resolve to fight her if it meant putting his own friends or the valley itself in danger?

His thoughts were interrupted as Quinton entered the room with Noelle and Laura in tow behind him. "Hey Connor, I thought we might find you here tonight. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah Quin... I'm fine," he replied trying to brush off the somber mood he had been in, "Sorry. I just had a lot on my mind tonight."

Quinton nodded in understanding before coming to sit down beside him by the window, "Listen Connor, I know you've been really bothered by that new general of Balor's but you should know that we're going to help you find out what happened to your friend Leanne and that it's okay to be honest with showing how you really feel about things sometimes, especially around us."

Noelle came to sit down on Connor's other side and patted his shoulder, "Quinton is right. You don't have to act like someone you're not... even if you meant for it to give the rest of us confidence too."

"Thanks guys. I appreciate it," Connor said with a faint but grateful smile, "And I'm also sorry if it caused any problems before."

"Well then... seeing how that's all settled, we were wondering if you wanted to put all this behind us and celebrate as a team tonight. We were thinking of going to see a movie," Laura said from across the room.

"Yeah, I'd like that," Connor said as he rose to his feet, "What did you guys want to see?"

"We could watch a comedy," Quinton answered with a grin.

Noelle shook her head and gave a hopeful smile to herself, "Nah, I was kinda in the mood for a romance flick."

"You're both wrong," Laura sighed patiently, "I wanted to see a historical period drama."

"Boring. How about an action movie?" Connor offered with a playful smile.

Like the differing seasons and powers that their rings represented, the four friends began to gently debate and argue among one another over their next course of action. In a way, it wasn't all that different from the manner in which the Four Courts of the Faerie Realm functioned, but there was always hope that if four different people could eventually agree on what kind of movie to watch tonight, then four factions of Elven people could come together to stop a common Fomorian enemy.


	15. Gathering the Clans

**Episode 8: Part 1  
**

The sounds of clinking glassware and laughter filled O'Doyle's Pub while Laura Gremory and her friends stood around a pool table to play a friendly boys vs girls game of billiards one evening. As the Winter Knight focused on lining up her next shot, Quinton stood off to the side making funny faces in an attempt to distract her. She took her shot and missed knocking the target ball into the side pocket before handing off her pool cue to Noelle with a sigh, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid pool just isn't my game."

Noelle took the stick and gently poked Quinton in the shoulder with it, "That's okay Laura. Some people who aren't much better still need to play dirty tricks to even stay in the game."

"Oh come on… I was just playing around," Quinton chuckled good naturedly while Connor moved around the table to take his turn.

Thanksgiving Break was fast approaching and despite the cold snowy weather and busy school term of late November, all the students of Somerset University were in a relatively good mood. The start of the holiday season was near meaning vacation days, time with family, and lots of good food. While Connor studied the layout of the pool table, he glanced up and froze when he saw a familiar young man enter the pub with another young woman. The new arrival wore a long naval style bridge coat and he looked around the room before removing a dark blue winter hat. He was a handsome man in his late twenties with short dark brown hair and blue eyes which he fixed on the Summer Knight.

To the other knights' surprise, Connor immediately passed off the pool cue and rushed over to greet the man with a big smile, "Cam! Hey! I didn't expect you to be in town yet!"

Cameron Monroe laughed as he pulled his younger cousin into a big hug and affectionately tousled the hair on top of Connor's head. "Glad to see you too kid! I thought I'd come in a little early and surprise you."

The other knights gathered around curiously while Connor stepped back and turned to meet the girl who had walked in with Cam. She was a beautiful athletic young woman with tanned skin, and darker features hinting at a distinctly Asian or Pacific heritage. Unlike the blue that Cam wore, she accented her stylish peacoat with a yellow scarf and hat.

"Connor, I'd like you to meet my fiancée Naomi Sato," Cam began, "Naomi, this is my cousin Connor."

"It's nice to finally meet you," she smiled giving him a little hug and kiss on the cheek, "Looks like I'm going to have my work cut out for me trying to memorize the names of all my new family members to be. Cam's already told me a lot about you and couldn't wait for us to hang out."

The Summer Knight turned and waved his three friends over, "Come on over everyone. I want to introduce you to my older cousin."

Quinton tentatively stepped up to shake Cam's hand, "Uh, hi, I'm Quinton… the roommate. Connor told me stories about you and I'm not sure whether I should shake hands or salute or something… you're the Navy Lieutenant out in Hawaii, right?"

"Actually Lt. Commander as of a couple months ago," Cam shrugged modestly while giving a friendly handshake, "But yeah, I'm still in Hawaii but glad to meet you."

"I hope you didn't forget to mention his being a Medal of Honor recipient too," Naomi smirked to Connor before giving Cam a playful little poke in the side.

"Geez Naomi, it's not something I want to make a big deal of," he sighed giving her a patient but pointed look.

"Oh, can you blame me for wanting to brag a little bit about having an awesome husband?" she laughed hugging his arm to put him at ease.

The two female knights exchanged an amused smile before Noelle stepped up to politely greet Naomi, "Nice to meet you Naomi. Connor had told me you're from Hawaii and you lifeguard there too."

"You're right about both," Naomi winked while shaking Noelle's hand, "Though when I've got some extra time, I've also been known sell an occasional plot of real estate too."

Laura stepped up next and introduced herself, "How are you enjoying the weather up here? I imagine it's a bit of a shock from what you're used to."

"Honestly, I don't know how you people up north put up with the cold," Naomi laughed as she huddled in her coat, "This is my first trip to the mainland and I thought seeing snow was cool... for the first couple hours."

"Don't let Alex and Hannah hear you say that," Cam smirked, "You know how much they actually miss real frost and ice."

Naomi conceded the point, "True, but at least the cold gives me a reason to buy some cute winter clothes which I've never owned before."

"Not to mention a good excuse to cuddle more too," Cam chuckled while putting an affectionate arm around Naomi.

"You guys must be tired from your trip. Why don't you sit down and relax," Connor said leading everyone toward some tables, "Is there anything you need?"

Cam gave a thoughtful smile and looked around the pub, "Well... if it's okay with all of you, I think I'd just like to get a warm meal, have some good beer, and catch up with my cousin. I'm sure we've got a lot of crazy stories to swap."

* * *

Elsewhere, the lord of the Fomorian Host known as Balor sat upon his throne deep in the caverns of the Underworld. As he reclined in his Great Hall, he watched as several of his greater warriors and commanders of the Host sat at a table eating a feast of raw meat, uncooked vegetables, and cups of animal blood which had been gathered by their foraging parties. While the other Fomorians were loud and raucous in their meal, Balor was in no mood to eat and so remained by himself in quiet contemplation over what to do about the knights who defended Somerset Valley.

He had recently elevated Lady Leanansidhe to the rank of General, but after her recent setback, she remained locked away working on some new scheme for revenge. If Leanansidhe was not going to act right now, then he would take the initiative himself. He was growing restless and wondered if now was the perfect time to strike. The weather was colder and the humans would be too busy preparing for winter and celebrating their frivolous holidays like the elves of the others courts.

As he watched his soldiers feast, Balor scratched his chin as inspiration struck him. The warlord sat up in his seat, and called out loudly, "Fear Gorta! Step forward! I am in need of your services!"

The other monster continued to eat and carouse until they all saw their food began to wither away and spoil. The blood in their goblets evaporated and the meat and vegetables deteriorated and shriveled into blackened husks. The other Fomorians gave outraged cries before they began to feel weakness and fatigue themselves. While the other troops began to slump down on the tables or collapse to the floor, Balor sat calmly with an amused smile as a ghastly emaciated figure approached the throne.

The ghoul was clad in rags and had a skeletal appearance about him. His skin had a rotten but pallid look resembling that of a corpse who had been left out in a frozen wasteland. The monster known as Fear Gorta trudged forward past two more spriggan guards and paid them no mind as they both collapsed to the floor, having been overcome by the creature's terrible aura.

Once he had entered the throne, the skeletal Fomorian stood a respectful distance away and bowed toward his master while speaking in a raspy withered voice, "Lord Balor… I am here to answer your call."

"Good," the warlord smiled, "I have a special task for you and it involves bringing misery to the people of the valley above us."

* * *

The next day after classes, Connor took Cam and Naomi out on a little walking tour around his college campus. After showing them the sights, they made their way into the town proper to get some hot chocolate and then look around the commercial district a bit. While they waited in line at a local cafe, they heard a bit of a commotion outside. They turned to look out the window and began to see small groups of people running down the street and shouting warnings to each other.

To their surprise, several cafe customers around them recoiled as they saw the food on their plates go bad or their drinks turn sour. Naomi frowned in confusion, "what is going on here?"

The three rushed outside and saw the figure of the Fomorian Fear Gorta strolling down the street. As the raggedy ghoul approached, food in the nearby stores or restaurants began to spoil while civilians caught in the path of the creature's fearful aura began to faint in exhaustion. Cam blinked in surprise, "Is there some kind of monster attack going on here?"

"Actually yes, it happens from time to time," Connor called as he pulled the two away and urged them to run, "Come on. We have to get out of here!"

Cam and Naomi hesitated a moment in Connor's presence before following the rest of the fleeing crowd. As they retreated, Connor grimaced and pulled out his phone, texting an urgent warning to his friends. Having done that, he needed a way to get free of his cousin so as not to reveal his identity. He took a deep breath and rushed further into the crowd before slipping back around them and running back toward the emptying street where the Fomorian was advancing.

From where they were in the crowd, both Cam and Naomi looked around in panic to see Connor had gone missing. Cam looked about frantically and started shouting his cousin's name to no avail until he felt Naomi pull his arm, "Cam, come on. We need to try and do something about that monster."

"Connor is missing. I can't let him get hurt," he insisted but Naomi shook her head.

"If we don't do anything, he may get hurt anyway."

Cam relented with a nod and rushed back down the street in the other direction, preparing to confront the Fomorian before the two heard the thundering sound of galloping horse's hooves. Cam and Naomi both took cover behind some fallen patio furniture and witnessed an astonishing sight.

Fear Gorta halted in his tracks as he saw 4 faerie steeds race across his path and deposit their riders on the road. The Fomorian smirked in amusement as he saw the four Hibernian Knights step forward to face him already armed with their weapons and armor. Connor was the first one to draw his blade and ignite it with a flickering sheath of flames, "You look lost Fomorian. Maybe we can give you directions back to whatever miserable rock you crawled up from."

Fear Gorta clenched his teeth and drew forth a mace from his raggedy cloak, "You think too highly of yourself boy. You don't want to cross me."

Quinton drew his sword next and leveled it toward their foe, "I don't know guys, this Fomorian looks pretty old and decrepit. He can't be that tough."

"Keep your guard up. We never quite know what surprises to expect nowadays," Laura replied while reaching for her own sword.

"Let's take it to em then!" Noelle cheered while giving her own sword a wave and urging her friends forward.

From the relative safety of the overturned patio furniture outside a cafe, Cam and Naomi watched in awe as the four magical warriors in knightly armor clashed with the ghoulish monster. Despite his appearance, Fear Gorta was surprisingly fast and dexterous as he blocked and deflected the knights' slashes aside with his mace. As he defended himself, the Fomorian drew forth a small clay cup from his rags and gave it a shake making a rattling sound as if there were some kind of loose change rattling around inside.

The ghoul waved the cup around spraying the knights with magic projectiles at point blank range and blasted them all backwards. Before they could recover from the surprise attack, the Fomorian swung his mace bashing aside Quinton and Noelle to take them out of the fight. As they shook off the blast, both Connor and Laura readied another charge but the ghoul intensified his weakening aura causing them to stagger with fatigue and pain.

Fear Gorta gave a triumphant laugh and swung his mace again firing off a burst of crippling magic which slammed into the Summer and Winter Knights knocking them off their feet. As the Fomorian shuffled forward, he shook his cup menacingly, "You pathetic children haven't paid your alms to me… I will give you weakness and pain, and you will give me your lives in return."

As Connor rolled to the ground and lay stunned alongside his fellow knights, their armor dispelled amid the debilitating aura of the evil fey monster while it approached slowly. From where they stood off to the side, Cam and Naomi could only stare in shock at the sight of the now exposed knights. Right now, those four familiar students had been fighting off a monstrous threat by themselves and were now in trouble themselves.

The Blue Ocean Ranger continued to stand in stunned silence as he saw the face of his younger cousin in peril. That was when he felt Naomi shake his arm, "Cam, come on! We've got to help them!"

Their old Ranger instincts kicked in as he gave a nod and they rushed in together, "Right, let's do it!"

As they hurried forward and barred the hideous monster's advance, the Fomorian Fear Gorta growled, "Get out of my humans, or I'll grind your bones to dust as well."

Connor's eyes went wide in horror at the sight of his cousin, not only because he had blown his cover, but his family would be put in danger, "Cam! Naomi! Get outta here! There's no way you can fight that monster!"

The two Ocean Rangers exchanged a confident smile and exposed colorful tribal bracelets made of coral on their wrists. In one swift motion, they morphed together in a bright flash of light and a splash of colorful shimmering water, "Point Break!"

In place of the naval officer and lifeguard were a Blue and Yellow Ranger with a Hawaiian tribal patterned motif to their suits. In another unified motion, they each called upon a large tribal dagger and brought it to their shimmering bracelets which transformed the knives into their own personal weapons: a sharkfin saber and a pair of small hand clubs lined with shark teeth.

From where they lay on the ground, the four Hibernian Knights stared slack jawed at the unexpected appearance of the two veteran Power Rangers before them. Naomi glanced over to her partner and gave a small nod, "Compared to the sea witch Hine Nui, this guy should be a piece of cake."

The Fomorian ghoul growled and moved to clash with the two new Rangers standing in his way. Naomi was the first to lock weapons with the enemy and parry its mace aside. Using her great athleticism and agility, she back flipped away as Cam attacked next from the flank with his own blade and caught the Fomorian off guard with a glancing sword blow to the side. Despite his frail looking appearance, Fear Gorta was surprisingly resilient and stayed on his feet after getting hit.

As he regained his balance, Fear Gorta lowered his mace and once again pulled a cup from his raggedy sleeve. As he gave it a shake, the ghoul whipped the cup around to toss his evil alms toward the two Rangers. Now that they expected the attack, the Ocean Rangers were ready to meet the assault as Naomi called up a burst of wind from her bracelet to deflect the projectiles away in all directions.

Fear Gorta backpedaled in surprise before Cam rushed forward again while charging his blade with blue energy. He slashed the air and unleashed a powerful spiraling jet of water that snaked around and slammed into the Fomorian, throwing him backwards into the snowy ground. When the resulting cloud of blinding snow subsided, the two Ocean Rangers stood their ground against the Fomorian horror.

As the ghoulish monster rose to its feet, he glared menacingly at them. Naomi readied her twin serrated hand clubs in a defensive position while Cam leveled his sharkfin sword threateningly, "I don't know who the hell you are or where you came from but you're only going to get one warning! Back off from this town!"

Fear Gorta gave a savage growl and spoke in his raspy voice, "You should not make threats against that which you don't understand. This conflict is between Lord Balor and the Tuathan Knights. You'd best stay out of business that doesn't concern you Ranger."

"The hell it does," Cam shouted back angrily, "You mess with a Walsh, then you deal with the Monroes too! You stay away from my family, you hear me?"

The dark fey monster gave a derisive sniff and covered himself with his rags before vanishing from sight in the snowy wind. Once the monster had retreated, both Ocean Rangers powered down and approached the four younger knights who were still picking themselves up off the ground. They hadn't really thought about it in the heat of battle, but as Naomi knelt down to help her fellow female warriors up, realization began to set in that both the knights and the Ocean Rangers had revealed their identities to one another.

Cam slowly walked over and pulled his younger cousin to his feet while still trying to process everything, "Connor... I... you're some kind of magic knight?"

The Summer Knight looked away in embarrassment before looking back to Cam, "You didn't tell me you were an Ocean Ranger either. Does the rest of the family know?"

"No. That's not important right now," he said firmly gripping his younger cousin by the shoulders, "What is going on and why are you mixed up in all this? You could've been killed just now!"

At that moment, Laura cleared her throat to silence all the knights and Rangers, "Everyone, I think we'd better head back in town to the antique shop. There's someone there who will be able to explain everything... and I think we've all got a lot of that to do right now."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **To answer the Guest reviewer question from the last chapter, I have big plans for Stephen in the near future but I won't give anything away. Let's just say he'll have reasons to become much more directly involved with our heroes and their adventures.**

 **Fear Gorta: an Irish legend of a phantom Starving Man that appears during times of famine and hardship. In some stories he can bestow terrible curses on those who don't show generosity.**


	16. Teaghlach Siorai: Eternal Family

**Episode 8: Part 2  
**

A warm fire crackled in the fireplace of the antique shop as Noelle Moreau turned over the sign in the front door to show that the shop was temporarily closed. Despite the chill and darkness of the early evening outside, the four knights and two Ocean Rangers enjoyed the welcoming light and warmth of the cozy rustic store. As Noelle made her way back inside where everyone had gathered, she listened in as Kristen sat in her armchair explaining the whole situation to Cam and Naomi.

Both of the older Rangers sat holding hot cups of tea that Laura had prepared and mulled over the young Druid's words about the threat of Balor, the existence of the Faerie Courts, and battle that was raging over the control of Somerset Valley. After Kristen had finished telling the story, Cam sat back and took a long sip of tea while furrowing his brow, "To think... there might have been something to all the myths about the banshees and leprechauns that my grandparents would go on about."

"Yeah... that makes two of us," Connor muttered while clapping his older cousin on the shoulder.

"I guess we really shouldn't be too surprised," Naomi sighed with a thoughtful look, "After all, Hine Nui, Pele, and those other beings we dealt with out in Hawaii were all gods and myths as well."

Cam turned his gaze toward the other three knights, "So all of you have been going around fighting these Fomorians since the start of the school year, with swords and armor? Do any of you actually know anything about medieval style combat?"

"The magic of the Faerie armor gives us a bit of a knack for it," Laura admitted, "Otherwise, we just kind of use our own skills and aptitudes to take us the rest of the way."

Kristen nodded solemnly, "But they are learning and progressing. Whenever we have free time, I've been training with them and teaching them what they need to know about their powers."

"Even so, you can't expect these four kids to fight off a horde of invading monsters by themselves," Naomi protested before turning to the knights with an apologetic look, "Err, no offense to you four."

Quinton bit his lip for a moment before trying to give a positive look, "It hasn't been all that bad... I mean, we've become better fighters, we've sort of got a Megazord type contraption on our side, and Kristen said her Druid order is gathering help for us in the meantime too."

Connor was silent for a long moment before turning toward Cam, "You know, when I think about it, it all makes sense now... all your classified reports that you wrote about the battle of Honolulu, and the medal you were awarded... I had no idea you were a Power Ranger too."

"Even so, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this," Cam replied seriously, "Based on everything you and I now know, none of this is to be brought up when our families meet for Thanksgiving in a couple days. This stays between you and me... and the rest of your friends too."

Everyone in the room gave a silent nod of agreement before Noelle cleared her throat, "If we've got that settled for now, maybe we should worry about the new monster at large. Whoever he was, he was a lot deadlier than he looked and he was strong for a Fomorian."

"Fear Gorta... if I'm not mistaken," Kristen said as she rose from her chair and ambled thoughtfully over toward her bookshelf. As she pulled out a tome and paged through it, she continued, "According to Celtic legend, he may have been a fey creature in the form of a starving emaciated man. It was said he appeared during times of great famine and could bestow terrible curses on those who were selfish and refused to give him alms."

Laura crossed her arms with a mild huff, "Well he certainly wasn't friendly enough to warrant that. I can't imagine why he'd be showing up again now either... unless he wants to bring about the next great Potato Famine or something."

Connor and Cam exchanged a look between each other before Kristen interjected, "It could be that the holiday of Thanksgiving is coming. There's usually plenty of food and charity going around and based on the powers of that monster's aura, it's a perfect time to punish everyone by causing their meals to rot."

"Come to think of it, that does sound really rotten," Noelle frowned to herself, "Maybe they figure if people begin starving, people will eventually grow too weak to fight back."

Laura nodded in agreement, "Then what say we show that monster some generosity and give him a thorough beatdown."

Quinton glanced at the crackling fireplace and gave a concerned look, "Sounds great Laura, but how are we going to lure that thing back out... and how are we going to fight it? You saw what happened to us last time."

Naomi tapped her finger to her chin before turning to Kristen with a sly smile, "Miss Bloom, you mentioned that the pub owner O'Doyle was also a Druid right? Perhaps he might be able to help us. I have an idea... and it also involves calling in a few more reinforcements."

* * *

Early the next morning, the four knights made their way into town with Cam to O'Doyle's Pub to meet Kristen and Naomi who were enacting their part of a plan to combat the newest Fomorian threat. Thanksgiving Break had just begun so the college campus and the bustle of the surrounding town had begun dying down. As they walked inside to get away from the late November chill, Quinton rubbed his hands, "I wonder what the girls and Mr. O'Doyle have planned."

Upon entering the virtually empty pub, they were greeted with warm aromas of food wafting through the air making everyone stop and pause. Noelle was the first to smile and give a content sigh while they headed toward a central table covered with a big spread of tasty items. There they saw Kristen already setting up several places at the table with plates and silverware.

"Oh wow… looks like Thanksgiving came early. All this smells great," Noelle said.

"You can give your compliments to the cook then," Naomi grinned as she walked out of the kitchen with the restaurant owner, "Turns out Mr. O'Doyle here is both a Druid and a wizard in the kitchen."

The older Druid gave a gruff smile and shrugged modestly, "Oh, it's nothing. I had a lot of help."

"No doubt," Laura commented with a watering mouth as she circled the table and observed the offerings. There was a unique mix of food from both Ireland and England along with what almost looked like some cuisine from the Hawaiian Islands. Beside bowls of rice, pineapples, roast pork, and mochi were plates of corned beef with cabbage and potatoes along with beef pasties and Yorkshire pudding. "You two cooked this all by yourselves?"

The Yellow Ocean Ranger smiled and gestured to the kitchen, "Well... not exactly. I recruited a little bit of help from some friends."

From the kitchen doors emerged a tall bespectacled Japanese man in a dark green sweater along with a short brunette woman wearing some sporty pink sweats. Each of them carried the last bowls of food out with welcoming smiles. "Everyone… meet David Hosokawa and Alexandra Coach, more Ocean Rangers."

The knights smiled in surprise while Cam walked over to greet David and give Alex a hug. "Hey Dave, you guys made it after all. Thanks for the help."

The Green Ocean Ranger chuckled as they shook hands, "It took a while doing some portal hopping in the water, but we made it. Besides, I had to supervise and make sure Alex didn't kill you guys with food poisoning."

The Pink Ranger pulled a wooden cooking spoon from her apron and lightly smacked her boyfriend in the shoulder, "Very funny David. I am not that bad of a cook and you know it."

"I don't know Alex, I think Dave was being kinda generous on that one," Cam teased making Alex sigh in exasperation.

"Keep it up Cameron and you're gonna be next on my hit list."

Quinton eyed the food again and scratched his chin, "So… I assume we're going to have a feast of sorts to draw that monster out again? How are we even going to attempt eating all this anyway?"

"They also called in some help to eat all this grub," answered another two people who entered from a side room.

Everyone turned to see a long haired Hawaiian man in a red long sleeve shirt along with a younger blonde woman wearing orange flannel. Naomi gestured over to the other two Ocean Rangers with a laugh, "The rest of our team, Desmond Waihee and Hannah Johnson."

The two youngest Ocean Rangers exchanged a grin and a thumbs-up while they headed towards the table.

"Wow… awesome!" Connor smiled brightly, "We've got a whole team of real veteran Power Rangers backing us up here. How cool is that?"

"Best we not waste too much time and get on with things, don't you agree?" Mr. O'Doyle interrupted gently while clearing his throat.

Soon enough the two teams of heroes took their seats at the table and began to partake of the bountiful meal before them.

"Wait… guys, shouldn't we say grace or something?" Cam frowned to the others while he was already halfway done making the sign of the cross over himself.

Beside him, Naomi and Connor gave neutral shrugs while Desmond began shoveling food into his mouth with his usual cheerful grin, "Nah. It's fine. It's technically not Thanksgiving so I think we can get away with it here."

Cam simply rolled his eyes quietly and began to follow suit.

While the others began to eat and chat, Noelle looked over toward Laura who was already filling her plate with the meat pasties and Yorkshire pudding covered in gravy.

"Uh Laura, we should probably be careful so that if the monster shows then we won't be too full to fight."

"Speak for yourself," the Winter Knight replied with a smirk, "It's not often I get to eat this stuff from home and I'll be damned if I let that monster cause all this to rot."

"That's the spirit," the Orange Ranger Hannah smiled from across the table, "Now could one of you pass the pineapples this way?"

* * *

No sooner had everyone finished their first course was when everyone in the pub heard some commotion from outside. Just like before, they could see people fleeing past the restaurant while shouting warnings to each other. Everyone got up quickly and hurried outside only to see the familiar form of the starved ghoul Fear Gorta make his way down the empty street. As the four Hibernian Knights stood at the forefront to meet their foe, the Ocean Rangers took positions behind them while Laura waved their two Druid allies toward the safety of the pub's door.

"Stand back Kristen, we'll take care of this one. We've got a little score to settle with that Fomorian."

As he came upon the group of defiant humans, the skeletal ghoul in rags gave a sinister smile, "So... you knights were the ones feasting and you didn't invite me? I see you already invited some other friends."

"Friends that are going to help make sure you don't spoil the holidays for all the other innocent people here!" Desmond called back defiantly before leading the Ocean Rangers in a quick morph.

"You're making a mistake," Fear Gorta growled as he stepped forward to attack and drew his mace, "I'm going to make you pay dearly for that insult."

"Not if we have anything to say about it. Everyone?" Connor prompted while raising his ring.

"Athru!" the others answered as they followed suit and donned their own mystic armor and weapons. As the four Faerie warriors drew their blades in unison, they grouped together to repeat their own battlecry.

"Four Swords, One Heart! Hibernian Knights, to arms!" the four called rallying their weapons together while the other Ocean Rangers stood behind them as backup.

As the four armed Hibernian Knights readied their blades against the incoming monster, Cam drew his own saber and joined in their formation beside his cousin. "Got room for one more sword?"

Connor smiled and clasped hands with the Blue Ocean Ranger before pointing his blade forward to spur the knights on, "All right… let's take it to Balor and his flunkies! All together now!"

With a unified cry, the four knights led the charge and clashed with their Fomorian enemy. Fear Gorta gripped his mace and skillfully ducked and wove past the first strikes of the Winter, Spring, and Autumn Knights. While the three swept by, both Connor and Cam attacked together and locked weapons with the ghoul, temporarily matching him with their combined strength. Despite Fear Gorta's attempts at any counter blows, both The Summer Knight and Blue Ranger protected each other and deflected aside each strike.

While they clashed, the Fomorian hesitated as he felt a rush of cold air sweep by him. The wave of air had been brought on by the Winter Knight's rapier and the icy magic began to slow the Fomorians movements making him more sluggish and numb. As he reached within his rags he tried to pull out his cup that sprayed projectiles at close range, but it was knocked away as Noelle tossed her spinning blade to deflect it.

Fear Gorta gave another surprised gasp before he was blinded by a follow up attack from Quinton who called upon a lightning burst filled with Spring thunder. While the ghoul staggered and scrambled to regain his bearings, Cam stepped aside letting the four knights regroup for a combined finishing attack. Once he shook off the blast, Fear Gorta snarled toward the knights and began to expand his withering aura out toward them, "You'll pay for that insult you annoying children!"

To his surprise and horror, the monster's aura was countered as a burst of bright vibrant magic radiated out against it. The four knights turned in surprise to see the six Ocean Rangers behind them standing with their glowing Ocean Bracers. The bright energy that spread from the tribal bracelets resonated with the magic of light and Creation which neutralized that of the Fomorian.

"All right everyone, now's our chance!" Laura called as she moved to strike and waved the others on.

While the ghoul was pinned in place and weakened by the combined strength of the Ocean Rangers, the four Hibernian Knights surged forward and charged their weapons with their own respective elements. Amid the light of the Rangers, Fear Gorta's eyes went wide as he was struck by four devastating blows one after the other. The Fomorian ghoul gave a raspy wail as the four colorful slashes tore through him and reduced him to a blaze of shadowy wisps that dissipated away on the winds. As the four knights gave a cheer, they turned and gave a wave to the six Ocean Rangers standing nearby to thank them for their timely assist in the battle.

Once they had sheathed their weapons, Quinton removed his helmet while wearing a big smile, "You know... that battle really worked up an appetite. Do all of you guys still wanna go finish our non-Thanksgiving meal? It would be a shame to let it go to waste."

Amid the laughter and affirmative responses, the knights and the Ocean Rangers decided to give thanks for the victory as well as the fellowship. Despite the stark differences of the two teams, they shared the same goals and right now, they were all interested in celebrating over a meal with some new friends.

* * *

The next evening, the knights and Ocean Rangers all sat together at two large tables finishing their dinner in O'Doyle's Pub. After another intense battle, the familiar warm environment was a nice welcoming reward, especially since the pub had reopened and a fair number of local patrons had come in to enjoy some pre-Thanksgiving drinks and meals.

"I don't know about you, but I'm glad classes and Fomorian attacks are over for a while," Laura said with a content smile, "As strange as it sounds, I'm actually looking forward to spending some time at home and having another big holiday meal with the whole family."

"That makes two of us Laura," Naomi sighed as she finished her own meal, "You know, I really wasn't expecting to go back into battle after all this time, but it still felt good to jump back in the saddle and help some new friends."

"I wouldn't have worried. You guys haven't lost your touch at all," Quinton said with a grateful nod.

Noelle chuckled, "Believe us, you, Cam, and everyone else can come by and help us any time you want. Lord knows we'll need it."

"Aw, come on now Noelle. Give yourselves a little credit," Cam grinned slinging a brotherly arm over Connor, "From what I've seen, you four are definitely no pushovers and I'm sure this town will be in safe hands. Besides... it seems like heroism runs in our family too, right kid?"

The Summer Knight couldn't help but laugh in agreement. As a waitress came and cleared the table, everyone looked over to where Eliza McConnel was setting up with some of her band members to perform some live music for the evening. She gave a smile and waved Connor over to join them prompting the knight to turn to his cousin, "Hey Cam, you're not too rusty with the mandolin are you? What do you say we have some fun and put on a little show for our friends?"

The Blue Ocean Ranger laughed and nodded, "Sure! You're on man. What did you have in mind?"

Naomi cleared her throat and interrupted gently, "Whatever you perform, please refrain from any vulgar drinking songs you learned on the Navy ships, okay?"

Cam gave a mock sigh and dramatically rolled his eyes, "Yes dear, whatever you say."

Connor got up and led the way over toward the other musicians to get their permission to borrow some instruments for a duet. As he took up a fiddle and handed Cam a mandolin, he grinned, "You wanna do Darcy's Drunken Donkey?"

Cam chuckled and sat down preparing to strum the strings, "If you still remember how to play it, then I'm game. Lead on kid."

As Eliza gave a low whistle to get the pub's attention, the Summer Knight and Blue Ocean Ranger launched into a lively bouncing Irish tune in the form of a humorous ballad. While they played together and switched off singing verses, they told the funny story of two Irish bootleggers who accidentally got their donkey drunk with whiskey and won a big horse race while trying to chase it down.

When the two finished, they were met by applause and lots of laughter from the pub's patrons, the other Ocean Rangers, Kristen, and the three other knights. As Mr. O'Doyle handed Cam a beer, the two cousins exchanged a smile and a laugh between themselves. While they both would eventually have to go back to opposite ends of the country after the holidays, they savored the moment of warmth and fun surrounded by family and friends. Now that they both knew the truth about each other they realized they would now share an even stronger bond that went even beyond family. It was a different kind of family now... whether they were magic knights or Power Rangers, they were all heroes committed to protecting their homes and each other.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Some sharp eyed readers had commented on some similarities of the monster to the Horseman of Famine from PR Vanguard, but they aren't quite the same. Famine tainted food and caused people to eat uncontrollably so that they could be drained of their energy later. Fear Gorta here was a little more to the point and just caused everything to wither and rot around him.**

 **Before we get into the Silver 5th Knight story arc, we've got one more fun filler holiday plot coming up that will take us off the beaten path a little.**

 **As for the silly music that Cam and Connor played, it actually is a real song performed by the group Gaelic Storm. I love listening to music while I write and that song seemed like the perfect way to end it while showing the playful sides of both the cousins too. Thanks for reading!**


	17. Silent Knight

**Episode 9: Part 1**

It had been several weeks since the last monster attack on Somerset Valley and all had remained quiet. Thanksgiving had been celebrated with families and the knights had even gotten a chance to spend some extra time making new friends with the Ocean Rangers of Hawaii who had visited. By now, the Fall semester of classes for the university's students had begun to wind down and everyone was preparing for a well deserved Christmas vacation.

On that particular day, a white frosty layer of snow had covered the ground blanketing Somerset Valley in a pristine white veil which reflected the colorful festive Christmas lights that were now being hung over town. As she walked into town that morning, Noelle Moreau couldn't help but smile while admiring the holiday atmosphere. She loved the lights, the smells of cinnamon baked goods, and the generally happy moods of people this time of year. She couldn't be quite sure if this had anything to do with the fact that her own name meant Christmas in French, but she had always thought it was appropriate considering her heritage.

After turning a corner and passing by some carolers, she walked into Kristen's warm inviting antique shop and was greeted by the sight of her three fellow knights who had been waiting for her. They had all been called by their mentor for a bit of an impromptu meeting and were curious what it was about. As Connor finished his own work and updated price tags on items behind the front counter, Quinton stood with Laura near the fireplace asking for her help. "Come on Laura… I really need your help here. Please?"

"What's up everyone?" Noelle asked as she removed her orange winter hat and shook off the snow.

Quinton shrugged sheepishly, "Hey Noelle, I was just talking to Laura about getting a Christmas gift for Kayla and I needed some help… you know, get a fellow female's opinion?"

"Oh Quinton… I don't really know about romantic gifts," Laura grimaced, "Is it really necessary that I be the one to do this?"

The Spring Knight thought for a moment and decided to opt for tact and diplomacy, "Well… I figured since you've got such great fashion sense and taste, you'd be the best candidate."

Laura smirked in amusement and sighed, "Appealing to my vanity, eh? Flattery will get you everywhere Quinton. All right, I'll help."

Noelle shook her head with a laugh and hung up her coat before the three turned to see Connor produce a box from an out of the way shelf.

"Whoah... check these weird items out," Connor said while rummaging through some labeled items in the first small crate, "Star Indigo Seeds, Rain Sticks, Snake Oil, and Bottled Twilight? What is this stuff?"

"That would be a stash of magical sundries for official Druid use only," came Kristen's voice as she walked into the main room giving the four students a pointed look. It wasn't a look of anger, but rather one that was similar to a parent catching a child with a hand in the cookie jar, "Now if you'll please put those away and out of sight?"

"Wow Kristen... we didn't know you actually had magic items lying around the shop," Noelle remarked as their mentor joined them.

The young Druid sighed, "Of course... but I keep that stuff hidden and safely locked away. Those sorts of things are not for regular customers."

"Still... where do you get things like that?" Laura asked curiously, "You Druids don't make it yourselves, do you?"

Kristen shrugged, "A few things yes, but we mostly trade for it with agents of the Four Fey Courts."

Quinton's eyes went wide, "Really? You guys even do business with the Elves?"

"Not as frequently as you might think, but we try to maintain relations with some of their merchants," Kristen smiled, "And that's actually part of the reason I called you all here today. I'm going to need your help."

The knights exchanged curious looks as she continued, "My Druid order has assigned me to negotiate a trade deal with a new up and coming merchant lord of the Winter Court by the name of Elidyr. My job is to procure some items and chief among them is something this merchant specializes in... cockatrice venom."

"As in the mythical cockatrice? Is it something that's going to be weaponized?" Laura asked.

Kristen shook her head, "I have no idea. The venom in small doses has a property that temporarily petrifies organic matter. I know it's often used by Druid sculptors, potters, and artisans to help set the clay work quickly."

Connor crossed his arms and sighed, "Gee, negotiating a trade deal... sounds like a ton of fun. Where do we come in?"

Kristen finished tidying up her store's front counter, "I would like the four of you to come with me as bodyguards and representatives of our mortal realm. If we make a good showing here, it could open doors for you and eventually lead to an audience with the Winter Court."

"Hold on a second, where is this taking place?" Noelle asked hesitantly.

"It's a small chateau on the edge of Winter. We're going to take a little field trip to the Faerie Realm and it might take a few days so I suggest you dress warm," Kristen replied with amusement.

The four friends exchanged another incredulous look before Connor cleared his throat, "This is crazy... we're going to dimension hop or something?"

"Technically it's more of a plane shift but you get the idea," Kristen shrugged, "Just stay near me, keep out of trouble, and you'll be fine."

Admittedly, the idea of it all was fantastical, thrilling, and a little bit terrifying all at once. Eventually, Quinton stopped and frowned slightly, "I just realized... if we go on this little trip, I won't have time to go Christmas shopping for Kayla."

Kristen patted his shoulder gently with a smile, "Not to worry Quinton. Lord Elidyr is a new merchant lord who is aggressively courting our business. I'm sure you might be able to find something good there. If there are no other questions, I'll see you four bright and early tomorrow morning."

* * *

The next day, the knights met Kristen at her shop and she led them out into the nearby forest preserves toward the base of a high snow covered hill lined by evergreen trees.

As they stopped and waited, Kristen reached in one of her bags to pull out her ceremonial green Druid robes and summon her staff. After pulling the robes over her, she waited and looked around prompting Laura to cross her arms.

"Uh Kristen? I thought we were going to be traveling to the Faerie Realm? Why are we standing out here in middle of the snowy woods?"

Their mentor smiled and gestured with her staff toward the sun's reflections off the glittering ice in the canopy of trees above them, "We're waiting for the right conditions to trigger the fey crossings. All over the world, there are numerous places in nature which touch and overlap with the Faerie Realm. When conditions are right such as a certain time of day, or a particular time of year, or the way the light reflects through the trees, pathways open up. It can be a bit finicky, but they're one way the fey cross over into our realm... or how people from our world get lost when they accidentally cross over there."

The knights exchanged an uneasy look before the sparkling reflected light created a shimmering portal in a nearby mound of snow. Kristen gestured forward, "All right everyone... follow me."

The five companions walked through the portal and found themselves in a similar looking place, only the wintry forests around them were more primeval and majestic. No longer could anyone hear the sounds of cars or trains, or any other signs of modern human civilization. Now they were standing in a parallel, yet unfamiliar world.

Kristen gestured forward down the path where a steep snowy incline led up toward a magnificent stone manor that looked like a small castle in the distance. "Welcome to the edge of Winter in the Faerie Realm. Let's get a move on to Silver Peak Manor before we freeze, okay?"

Upon reaching the gates of Silver Peak Manor, the five travelers ambled into the outer courtyards of the grand estate, lined by evergreens and tastefully arranged walkways.

"Wow… look at this place," Quinton said marveling at the beauty and ornate architecture of the snowy courtyard.

As they stopped to look around, Kristen and Laura noted the many sculptures adorning the grounds. Guarding the place from above were fierce looking stone gargoyles while the gardens were adorned with statues of what looked to be both humans and elves.

"Look at how beautiful they are," Noelle commented as she walked over to get a closer look at a statue of an Elven woman in a serene pose. "She seems so peaceful… and real."

Connor walked over with her and looked at the statue giving a dismissive shrug, "I don't know… I think she looks kinda unhappy."

The Autumn Knight gave a mild frown, "Oh, how could you say that Connor? You're not looking hard enough or trying to understand this art."

"I'm glad someone is taking the time then to really stop and appreciate the art I created," said a figure who entered the edge of the courtyard. The knights stopped to see a handsome young Elven man in fine blue robes approach while being escorted by a pair of heavily armored house guards carrying spears. By their clothes and features, they all looked to be Winter fey.

The elf had fair skin and long pale gold colored hair tied back neatly. He looked to Kristen in her green Druid robes and raised a gentle yet gracious hand, "Do not be alarmed. I am Elidyr, merchant lord of Silver Peak Manor and you must be the delegates of the Juniper Order Druids. Welcome to my home."

Kristen bowed her head slightly and lowered her staff in respect, "My lord, I am Sister Kristen Bloom and these are the Tuathan Knights... mortal representatives of the Fey Courts."

Elidyr looked them over with a kind smile and extended a hand, "Yes, I've actually heard some rumors of late about you all. And to whom do I have the honor of addressing?"

Connor stepped forward first but Elidyr passed right by him to address Noelle.

Noelle blushed slightly and gave a shy smile as the noble took her hand and kissed it. The Autumn Knight stammered for a moment before regaining enough of her senses to reply, "My name is Noelle."

"Noelle… a beautiful name for an equally beautiful maiden," Elidyr smiled. "And your eyes… I couldn't help but notice... has anyone ever told you how striking and unique they are?"

The Autumn Knight giggled again and slightly shook her head causing Connor to roll his eyes slightly and clear his throat. Noelle absently waved toward the other knights, "That's um… Laura, Quinton, and um… Connor."

"A pleasure to meet you all," Elidyr said kindly to the others, "I look forward to negotiating some trade with you and having you as my guests for the next few days. Please... come along with me."

Kristen gave a diplomatic nod as the others followed behind and they toward the front doors of the large manor, "Thank you Lord Elidyr. You are most kind."

Soon enough, the five were escorted into the palatial mansion which was equally lavish and architecturally ornate on the inside. Here and there, lesser Elves who were attendants and servants of the Winter Court made their way past, busy with their chores like washing, cooking, or cleaning.

Elidyr gestured for some maids to come and greet the knights, "I'll have my servants escort you all to some guest chambers. Dinner will be served later and I hope you will be able to join me to tell of your adventures against the Fomorians. Until then."

He gave Noelle's hand one more gentlemanly kiss before heading back down the hall with some of his other guards. As they watched him go, Quinton and Laura exchanged an amused look while Noelle gave a swooning wave goodbye.

"You know… there's something about that guy that just doesn't sit right with me," Connor muttered quietly.

"Well for starters, he's handsome, cultured, polite, and apparently knows how to treat a woman... of course you'd hate him," Laura chuckled quietly giving him a little elbow in the side before heading off down the hallways with Noelle and Kristen.

Quinton laughed and clapped the Summer Knight's shoulder to try and cajole him along while another maid gestured toward their own guest rooms.

* * *

Later that day, the five made their way into the grand dining room of the faerie style chateau where an elaborate meal was laid out along with expensive silverware and finely crafted china.

"Wow... now this is what I call living," Laura remarked with an impressed smile and a low whistle while they were seated. "Lord Elidyr, this is all so tasteful and truly remarkable."

"Thank you Lady Laura," Elidyr replied graciously from the head of the table, "I think you can see that as a merchant and an artisan myself, I seek to surround myself with beauty and things that elevate the spirit. That is where I find my inspiration."

While he turned to Kristen nearby and began to discuss some matters of opening trade with the Druids, Noelle looked over and saw two small gargoyle servants scamper up to the table carrying trays and assisting the Elven wait staff. They were really no larger than house cats and unlike the fearsome looking gargoyles on the outside of the manor, these were much cuter and more innocent looking. One was taller and leaner albeit with sharp angular features while the other had shorter and more roly poly appearance.

As they scampered about, the little gargoyles jabbered in their own unintelligible language while bumping into each other and making a ruckus. The Autumn Knight smiled kindly and patted the taller one's head as he refilled her water glass, "Aww, you guys are so cute. Thank you."

Elidyr glanced over and caught sight of the other chubbier gargoyle trying to pilfer a dinner roll from the table before he cleared his throat sharply and gave the two creatures a stern look. Glancing back to his guests, he wore an apologetic expression, "Please forgive my other minor servants. Scratch and Yum-Yum here are gentle and curious creatures... but they tend toward mischief."

He waved his hand and called in a commanding voice, "Now, away with you two!"

As the two little gargoyles slunk away sadly, Kristen looked about thoughtfully, "Elidyr, you did say you were a bit of a sculptor. Seeing as how we are working out a deal for some cockatrice venom, surely you've mastered some techniques for using it in your art."

"Of course," Elydir answered proudly before scratching his chin and turning to the Autumn Knight, "Lady Noelle, perhaps you could do me the great honor of letting me craft a sculpture in your likeness, to capture your radiance for the ages."

Noelle nearly choked a moment on her food feeling very timid from all the attention, "Oh... I uh, don't know what to say."

Elidyr laughed gently and rose from his chair, "Perhaps if your saw my other pieces, it would reassure you of my skill. Lady Kristen, perhaps you could come along too and we can finish striking a bargain."

"We'd be honored," Kristen said standing up with Noelle.

"So would I," Connor added quickly as he rose too, "Lord Elidyr... I'd love to see more of your work."

Noelle shot the Summer Knight a pointed look but Elidyr didn't notice and shrugged, "If you wish. Would any one else like to come too?"

"No, no... I think we're fine finishing dinner right here," Quinton said contentedly while eating with Laura, "Thank you."

As they retired from the dining hall, Elidyr led the three down some corridors into a grand gallery lined with beautiful statues like the ones in the outer courtyard. He gestured toward the rows of marble figures and sighed, "These are where I keep my very greatest works."

While Kristen and Connor paced around some of the statues, Noelle glanced around and noted some of the decor of that particular wing of the chateau. Like the decorations around Somerset Valley, she spotted some distinct touches of Christmas with some garland, ornaments, candles and evergreens.

"Wow... it's like having Christmas in France right now," she remarked idly.

"Yes," Elidyr replied gently while looking over, "In the course of my trading, I've picked up on some things I enjoy from the mortal world, some of which being the idea of your Christmas holiday and even the French language as well. It's really quite nice, don't you think? _Voeux de Bonheur pour un Joyeux Noel_." (Happy wishes for a Merry Christmas)

" _Meilleurs Souhaits por le Nouvel An_ ," Noelle replied in French with an impressed smile.

The little moment was broken up as Kristen examined one of the statues with her keen appraiser's eye, "Lord Elidyr, I couldn't help but notice... you must have an amazing hand. I don't see the mark of a chisel on any of these sculptures."

Elidyr walked over and cleared his throat, trying to lead Kristen away, "Thank you for the compliment. Now, shall we be off?"

This time, Connor cut in with a veiled hint of suspicion in his tone, "What about your studio Lord Elidyr? Where do you keep your tools or do your work?"

The Elf gave Connor a patient smile and led his guests from the gallery, "My studio is at the end of the hall Sir Knight, but I don't just let anyone in there. We artists need our space and privacy too. You understand of course?"

Connor glanced down the hall and spotted the two little gargoyles Scratch and Yum-Yum hiding in the corners of the corridor gesturing as if they wanted him to follow them into the studio. He paused a moment before looking back to Elidyr and following along, "Of course... thank you for the tour."

* * *

Later that evening after dinner, the four knights retired to a warm and cozy common room before bed while Kristen stayed behind at the table talking business with Elidyr. As the four friends relaxed by the fireplace, Connor again raised his warning about what he saw in the hallway and the sight of the two strange little gargoyles. "I don't know you guys... I kinda feel like something weird is going on around here and that those two little guys were trying to tell us something."

To everyone's surprise, Noelle crossed her arms and spoke with a degree of annoyance in her voice, "Connor, ever since we've gotten here you've had a negative attitude about everything and you're acting weird on top of it. Don't you realize that could jeopardize Kristen's trade talks with Elidyr? What will he think of us?"

"Or are you more worried about what he'll think of you?" he retorted causing Noelle to frown even more.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I don't think she has to worry about Lord Elidyr thinking badly of her at all. I think he's quite taken with her," Laura interjected with an amused smile earning a dirty look from Connor.

"Maybe it's just nice to enjoy a little attention for once from someone who's mature and cultured and appreciates some of the same things I do," Noelle fired back at the Summer Knight before walking out of the room in a huff, "If you really want to make a fool of yourself and poke your nose where it doesn't belong then be my guest Connor. Just don't drag the rest of us into your mess."

"Yeah? Well, if Mr. Pretty boy artist is as innocent as he says he is, then he'll have nothing to worry about!" the Summer Knight called after her angrily but she closed the door behind her effectively shutting him out.

Connor gave another exasperated huff and Quinton and Laura exchanged another look before the three heard a soft scratching at the other door of the room leading to the main hall. The three fell quiet and looked to one another before carefully walking to the door. As they opened it slowly, they looked down in surprise to see the two little gargoyles Scratch and Yum-Yum. They had worried expressions on their faces and jabbered with uneasy voices while trying to pantomime and communicate with the humans.

"Huh... this is weird," Quinton said as he ushered the two little creatures in, "What do you suppose they're trying to tell us?"

Laura took a look down the hallway before carefully closing the door and looking to her other two companions, "I'm really not sure, but I'm starting to have a feeling that if what Connor said is true, then it can't be something good."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **To answer a Guest question from the last chapter, Vanguard's Professor Bishop will be making an appearance along with a veteran Ranger or two later on down the line. I'll also be doing a mini crossover in the future with another fellow author who's a good friend of mine so we'll have plenty of craziness to look forward to later in the series. Until then!**


	18. Martial Art

**Episode 9: Part 2**

After having locked the doors, the knights sat by the warm fireplace trying to understand the little pantomimes and chatter of the two little gargoyles. They watched as the pudgy one named Yum-Yum made a menacing gesture causing the other one named Scratch to freeze up and topple over.

"I still don't get it," Quinton sighed as Laura stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"Okay… let's try it a different way," the Winter Knight said, "Does this have to do with Lord Elidyr? Is there danger here?"

The two gargoyles nodded while jumping up and down. A correct guess.

"Can you show us where the danger is?" Laura asked as she moved toward the door.

The two creatures hurried to stop her and keep the door closed. They gave affirmative nods but pointed toward the windows, and then the light of the fires.

"You want us to wait till morning when it's safer?" Connor guessed.

The gargoyles nodded again and pulled them over toward the fireplace before curling up to rest near the mantle.

"I guess we have no choice," Laura sighed, "If the gargoyles think it's better to wait, we have to trust them."

Quinton nodded and sat down in a nearby chair, "All right. Why don't you two get some sleep right now. I'll keep the first watch tonight."

Unable to argue, the other knights settled in for what would be a long and restless night. The next morning, everyone awoke and gathered in the common room before heading downstairs to the dining hall of the mansion. There they saw Lord Elidyr sitting at the table while calmly finishing his breakfast. He looked up and graced them with an angelic smile, "Good morning. I hope you all slept well."

Aside from Noelle, the other three looked a little rough around the edges but Laura cleared her throat and took the lead, "Well enough my lord, thank you. I don't suppose you know where Kristen is do you? We'd like to speak to her."

Elidyr wiped his hands with a napkin, "Lady Bloom? Oh, you just missed her. She stepped out a little earlier to relay a message back to her order. We're sorting out some little issues with the trade deal… nothing to worry about of course. Would you all care to join me for breakfast?"

"Perhaps the next meal," Quinton replied graciously, "We've got another little personal matter to attend to."

"What are you guys talking about?" Noelle asked in surprise.

Laura sat the Autumn Knight down at the table and smiled, "It's nothing Noelle. Why don't you just relax and keep our host company?"

"Oh God… did Connor put you up to this?" Noelle hissed quietly in annoyance.

Laura patted her friend's shoulder and spoke quietly, "Don't worry. I promise we won't cause any trouble. Just keep an eye on things here for us, okay?"

As the other three left the dining room, Noelle sputtered in protest before turning back to Elidyr with a polite apologetic smile.

* * *

Once outside, Connor turned to the two little gargoyles who had been tagging along with them, "Okay… I'm guessing Elidyr wasn't telling the truth about Kristen. Can you show us where he might have taken her?"

The three friends followed the two little creatures down a small path on the manor's grounds to what looked to be an underground cellar. The knights exchanged an uneasy look before heading deeper into the cavern.

Meanwhile back at the manor, Noelle ate breakfast at the table while Lord Elidyr called over one of his guards and whispered something in his ear. After the guard nodded and departed, the merchant lord gestured toward the goblet Noelle was drinking from, "You're enjoying the apricot nectar?"

"Oh yes. It's very good," the Autumn Knight answered politely as she set down her goblet and shifted in her seat. She didn't know quite why, but she had started to feel sluggish and her arms felt heavy. She had gotten a good night's rest so she knew it wasn't that either.

"Is something the matter?" Elidyr said gently as Noelle's head lolled back slightly and her eyelids fluttered.

"I just… I'm so tired… I can't… move," she sighed before seemingly falling asleep.

"Yes… that's what a little cockatrice venom will do to you," Elidyr chuckled as he rose from his chair, "First, I'll make a beautiful sculpture of you… then we'll see about your meddling friends."

Back at the underground cellar, the other three knights came upon a seeming dead end and looked about in confusion. Quinton examined the stones and furrowed his brow, "I don't see anything."

"And that's the way it's going to stay," came the rough voice of a house guard as a small pack of them quickly piled into the cramped corridor with weapons drawn. None of the knights had any time to respond, much less room to fight so they raised their hands in surrender as the guards encircled them.

"What are you three Tuathans doing down here?" the guard asked.

"We could ask you the same thing," Connor retorted defiantly while the guard pinned him to the wall and frisked him for weapons, "Did Lord Elidyr put you up to this?"

"Shut up," the guard snarled as he reached for a hidden lever and pulled it, revealing a secret room most likely used as a sort of dungeon. To everyone's shock, they found Kristen there in the center of the chamber, frozen up to her shoulders in ice.

"You made it too easy," the guard snorted as he and his comrades shoved the three knights into the prison chamber. "Lord Elidyr wanted us to keep you out of trouble and now he'll deal with you when he's good and ready."

Before they could charge back toward the exit, the rocky trapdoor slammed shut again. Quinton growled and kicked some dust at the door, "Great! We know what's going on now, but we walked right into a trap!"

"Kristen! Are you okay?" Laura exclaimed as she and Connor rushed to help their mentor.

The Druid nodded and took a breath to steady her chattering teeth, "I'm fine… except for being frozen in a block of ice and all."

"Hold on, we'll get you out of here," Connor said as he channeled a gentle stream of Summer Fire through his ring to melt the frost. While he and Laura worked to thaw Kristen out, Quinton pounded on the enchanted trap doors of the cavern trying to find an avenue of escape. Despite his shouting and efforts to find a weak point in the wall, the Spring Knight gave a discouraged look as the doors didn't show any signs of giving way.

He turned back and saw that Kristen had been freed from her icy state. As she sat down and tried to warm up while stretching her limbs, the others gathered around and asked what had happened.

"Last night after dinner… I got jumped by Elidyr and his guards," she explained, "It turns out that Elidyr is a bit of a nutcase who is big into collecting people who are either important or beautiful. Those sculptures we were all looking at? Those are all real live people who have been petrified into stone."

"Hmph… I'm a little offended that I wasn't targeted now," Laura said in mild sarcasm causing Connor to elbow her lightly.

Kristen continued, "Elidyr said he was planning to turn us all into statues and ransom us off to the highest bidder… whether it's our own Druid friends or Lord Balor."

"What? How would he even do that?" Quinton asked in shock.

"The cockatrice venom," Kristen explained, "He's developed various mixtures of it for his own evil schemes. If it's concentrated in the just the right way, it could theoretically turn you to stone and only be broken by a powerful anti-venom potion."

Laura quickly rose to her feet, "We've got to get out of here then and free all those victims who were turned to statues!"

"More importantly, Noelle is in danger," Connor exclaimed in fear while helping Kristen stand, "We left her back at the manor to keep an eye on things."

Quinton put his hands on his hips with a sigh, "Except how are we going to get out of here? The doors are too thick to blast and too heavy to move."

As if in response to that very question, the cavern doors began to open slowly and everyone looked in shock to see their two little gargoyle friends hanging off the switch to open the prison door from the outside. Apparently they had hidden and waited for Elidyr's guards to leave before coming back to help.

"What clever little devils," Laura grinned while hurrying out and scooping them up. As the others exited the underground cavern, they took a moment to thank their little allies before regrouping.

"Okay everyone… I think it's time we go put Elidyr out of business for good," Connor said firmly while clenching a fist, "Kristen, are you going to be all right?"

The Druid caught her breath before recalling her own staff, "Oh I'm coming along to fight too. If he intends to do this to other Druids too, then I'm not going to let him get away with it."

Laura set the gargoyles down and reached for her own ring to call her armor, "All right you two… it's time for battle so it's up to you to lead on."

* * *

Meanwhile, Lord Elidyr stood in his art studio propping up the paralyzed form of Noelle on a pedestal. Though she could not move her limbs or her mouth, she remained barely conscious enough to know that she was in great danger. The Elf put her in a graceful standing pose and stood back to examine his work. "Now my dear… you are going to be a lovely new addition to my gallery."

He ambled over to a small stone font that he kept in the corner of the room. In it bubbled a strange dark purplish liquid. He took a phial from his shelf and filled the glass beaker with a little bit of the liquid. "Coackatrice venom is a potent thing, isn't it? Just a single little drop of it diluted in your drink was enough to numb your entire body… but with this concentrated mix, I can petrify a whole person to become a work of magnificent art. I wonder how much Lord Balor would be willing to pay for you and your friends?"

Elidyr stopped as he heard a loud crash from outside and the sounds of shouting. The merchant lord hurried to the windows and saw three armored knights and a Druid break down the front door and clash with his house guards. Kristen led the way, batting aside a guard with her staff before throwing another two across the front hall with a burst of green magic energy. At her flanks, Quinton and Laura fanned out and locked blades with several guards who poured in from the side hallways. Unfortunately, those guards didn't fare much better as the Spring and Winter Knights easily took them all down with stunning blows or non-leathal sword strikes. While they clashed in the front hall of the manor and pushed forward, Kristen waved the Summer Knight on, "Connor! We'll take care of these clowns. Go help Noelle!"

Connor gave a nod and charged up the mansion's main stairwell with Scratch and Yum-Yum showing him the way. Elidyr growled and went to fetch a rapier from his desk, "Idiots… useless guards. I'll just have to take care of this myself."

As he rushed up the stairs, Connor locked swords with several guards blocking the way to Elidyr's studio. The Summer Knight parried a strike and threw a guard down the stairs while forcing the other two back. As he blocked another strike, Connor punched a guard out while kicking the other one into an empty pedestal, knocking the Elven soldier unconscious. He continued to charge down the hallway and slashed the locked studio door open with a blazing sword strike.

Inside the studio, he saw Elidyr waiting with a rapier while Noelle stood paralyzed in the corner on a small pedestal. He leveled his sword on the noble, "It's over Elidyr! Drop your weapon and surrender now!"

The noble sighed and dipped his blade in the font of cockatrice venom, "Such theatrics… like something out of a fairy tale. I suppose you fancy yourself the knight in shining armor who's going to save the fair maiden?"

"I'll settle for the pissed off knight who's going to kick your ass from here to Summer," Connor growled as he locked blades with Elidyr. As the two combatants clashed, the venom on the blade bubbled and hissed causing Connor to withdraw and dodge a slash which struck a wooden potter's wheel and turned it to stone.

"What the hell?" Connor gasped in surprise.

Elidyr laughed and gestured toward the font, "I coated my blade in cockatrice venom. If one hit penetrates your armor, you can think again about kicking anyone's derriere. Perhaps you'd like to surrender instead?"

"Sorry Elidyr. I don't surrender to madmen. It's just one of my quirks," Connor retorted while backpedaling and deflecting aside another sword blow of the noble. Elidyr growled as the Summer Knight maneuvered around the studio and dodged another thrust from the venom coated blade. The rapier struck a wooden shelf and a wide swath of it solidified into stone.

"You annoying worm! Are you too afraid to duel me head on?" Elidyr snarled as Connor pivoted sideways and pulled off some curtains of the small room's window to snare his foe's blade. Like the shelf, the cotton curtains petrified into stone as well but it threw Elidyr off balance and allowed Connor to kick the noble back several feet to the ground.

While Elidyr groaned and slowly tried to stand, the Summer Knight spared a moment to turn and check on Noelle who was starting to shake off the effects of her paralysis. As her muscles began to loosen up again, Connor quickly caught her and carried her off the small pedestal so that she wouldn't fall.

"Noelle... are you okay?" he asked in concern as he eased her to the floor.

She weakly turned her head and gasped, "Connor... look out!"

The Summer Knight turned in surprise to see Elidyr had risen to his feet and brandished a small wand. The noble gave a haughty sneer and leveled his glowing implement, "You stupid human. Your compassion will be your undoing."

In a flash, Elidyr fired a bright jet of magic energy from his wand while Connor raised his blade to try and deflect the attack. The Summer Knight gasped again as the magic bolt overpowered his defenses and threw him back violently against the wall. Connor slumped sideways in a daze while his sword clattered away.

Elidyr ambled forward and leveled his venom coated rapier over his stunned foe with a sniff, "You fought well Sir Knight, but you shouldn't have gone poking your nose where it didn't belong. Now, it's time we end things."

Before the merchant lord could thrust his blade into Connor, he froze as a powerful gust of wind filled the studio and he heard Noelle's voice, "I agree. It's over for you."

Elidyr glanced over to see the Autumn Knight had staggered to her knees and called up a wind gust with her ring. With her ring's magic, she had also summoned her sword which glowed with orange energy. Without wasting any more time, Noelle hurled her blade sidearm and surprised the Elf. Elidyr raised his own guard but the powerful strike from the Autumn Knight knocked him backward and threw him into the small font filled with cockatrice venom.

As the font tipped over and shattered on the ground, the liquid venom spilled all over the fallen Elf. Elidyr frantically tried to stand up again as he watched in horror while his whole body began to rapidly petrify into stone. He gave a panicked shriek while trying to run, "No! This can't be happening to me! No!"

Before Elidyr could get any further, he completely turned to stone and because he was already off balance, he fell forward. The two knights stared in horror as the petrified Elidyr fell to the ground and shattered into a million stone shards. Connor and Noelle exchanged a shocked look and tried to steady their breathing before their companions barged into the room, expecting a battle. To their surprise, they found their two friends safe amid a ruined artist's studio.

"Noelle! Connor! Are you two okay?" Kristen asked as she eyed the shattered remains of Elidyr.

Noelle nodded slowly as Connor helped her rise and walk over toward the others, "We're fine. I'm afraid we can't say the same thing for Lord Elidyr."

Laura eyed the ruins of the studio and gave a worried look, "As glad as I am of that, you have to realize we just killed a Sidhe lord. Surely the Winter Court is going to come down on us now."

Kristen calmly shook her head, "Unlikely... Elidyr broke the Accords of the Seelie Courts. One of those laws ensure that a host is supposed to ensure safety and hospitality to invited guests. Because our Druid Orders are recognized by the fey, we are entitled to those protections too."

She tapped her staff on the ground, "We'll send for officials of the Winter Court to deal with this. We'll have them come with anti-venom potions and the victims who were turned to statues will back up our stories too."

Quinton sighed and sheathed his weapons as he glanced at the remains of Elidyr, "Sorry. I guess none of us liked your work. Everyone's an art critic, huh?"

* * *

After having summoned some local magistrates of the Winter Court, the next day was spent sorting out the events surrounding the untimely end of Lord Elidyr. Grateful servants of Silver Peak Manor who had been too scared to stand up to the merchant lord's tyranny did not hesitate to corroborate the stories of the Hibernian Knights and thank them for their intervention. To their added relief, the magistrates brought along several potions to counteract the cursed cockatrice venom and free several victims who had been petrified at Elidyr's cruel whims.

After being cleared of any wrongdoing, the five were thanked again by the residents of Silver Peak and told that the Winter Court would contact the Elder Druids to work out some fair reparations for Elidyr's actions. After portaling home and returning to the antique shop in Somerset Valley, Laura smiled toward Quinton and patted his shoulder, "Well now... it seems our little trip wasn't a complete bust. You're planning on giving Kayla that gift the manor's servants presented you?"

The Spring Knight smiled and patted the small wrapped parcel that he carried under his arm, "Yup. I just know she's gonna love this colorful stained glass panel. Maybe if Kayla hangs it in her dorm room, it'll help her think of me every time she sees it."

The Winter Knight nudged him gently, "All right Mr. Wallace, let's not get ahead of ourselves now."

While they bantered, Kristen smiled and shook her head while setting down a small pack of supplies and gifts that the grateful Winter fey of Silver Peak had given them. She was about to open the bag when she heard some scuttling in the corner of the room.

Everyone looked over in surprise and saw that the two little gargoyles Scratch and Yum-Yum had followed them home from the Faerie Realm and snuck into the shop.

"What in the Dagda's name is going on here?" Kristen exclaimed as the two little creatures hesitantly approached.

"Aww, look! The two little guys wanted to come along with us," Noelle giggled while bending down and holding out her hand. The two little gargoyle creatures scampered up and climbed into her arms for safety. "Can we keep them Kristen?"

The Druid mentor crossed her arms and gave a mild frown, "Listen, they helped us stop an evil fey lord but those two belong back in the Faerie Realm. Can you imagine how much trouble they'd cause here? Where will they stay?"

Noelle thought a moment and gave a hopeful smile, "Maybe they could stay here with you in the shop? You know... be like an extra little set of helpers, or guard dogs, or something?"

Kristen grumbled and voiced audible reluctance before giving a narrow look to the two creatures, "I'll let you stay here for now... but you two have to promise to stay out of sight and not cause any trouble. Is that understood?"

Scratch and Yum-Yum gave enthusiastic nods and jabbered excitedly before hopping out of Noelle's arms and scrambling up to Kristen to hug her pant legs. The Druid could only sigh and roll her eyes to herself, "I just hope I'm not going to regret this."

While Laura and Quinton began walk over and play with their newest gargoyle pets, Connor opened the gift bag and rummaged around for a small wrapped parcel. Once he found what he was looking for, he pulled Noelle aside and offered it to her. The Autumn Knight gave a confused look as she took the parcel, "What's all this?"

Connor simply shrugged and cleared his throat, "An early Christmas gift... and my little way of saying thank you for saving me from Elidyr."

"You don't have to thank me for that."

Connor shifted slightly, "Okay, then let it be my way of apologizing for that little argument we had back at the manor. I was really worried about you and I was probably a little out of line too. So, I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for that either," Noelle said gently, "You were the one who came to save me, remember?"

Connor glanced away sheepishly, "Well... regardless, I still told the servants how brave you had been so I asked that the gift they gave me be one for you instead. So, just open it okay?"

Noelle opened the parcel and gave a delighted smile as she pulled out a small set of wind chimes made of bluish crystals of the Winter Fey.

"I know you like meditating and all so I figured you'd like a set of chimes to listen to while you do it."

"Oh my gosh... that's so thoughtful and sweet," she said in surprise, "Thank you."

The Summer Knight cleared his throat again, "Listen Noelle… I might not be able to speak French and I don't know the first thing about fine art either… but I think I'm still able to recognize something beautiful when I see it."

Noelle gave a touched smile and reached up to give Connor a little kiss on the cheek, but was interrupted as the two gargoyles scampered up and tried to get their new human friends to play too. While Scratch clambered up Connor's back and clung to his shoulder, Yum-Yum gave a gentle tug at Noelle's leggings. Despite his disappointment at the ruined moment, Connor laughed gently and walked back over toward the others with the gargoyle hanging off his back while Noelle picked up the other pudgy creature and carried him too.

Despite everything that had happened, this was a moment to celebrate. Justice had been done, the bonds of friendship and fellowship had been reaffirmed, and a temporary peace had returned to Somerset Valley. As the holidays of Christmas and New years fast approached, the five could only hope that their well earned respite from battling the Fomorian Host would last just a little bit longer.

* * *

Meanwhile, Lord Gwydion of the Summer Court stood on the high ridges at the other side of Somerset Valley. As he watched over the town, the Warden of the Golden Wood exchanged an uncomfortable look with the Sidhe lord of Winter who stood beside him. His counterpart, a warrior of Winter wore a magnificent silver hauberk with blue robes denoting his equally highborn rank. Like Gwydion, he was equally tall, fair, and graceful though he had a much sterner taciturn manner about him. The Winter Sidhe narrowed his cold blue eyes and spoke in a calm but serious voice, "We can't afford to wait much longer Gwydion. Our Kings and Queens will be waiting. The Court of Stars has ordered us to fetch them their chosen representative."

The Summer warrior nodded while watching the snow begin to sprinkle down from the cloudy skies, "I know that Sigurd. It's not often that the Four Courts have a special congress, much less agree on an action like this."

Lord Sigurd grimaced, "If our informants' reports are in fact true, then I'm afraid we all will have to start working together more… as much as I hate to admit it. We cannot allow Leanansidhe to turn the Sluagh loose upon the people of this valley. If those knights are going to potentially face a horde of undead monsters, they're going to need more help."

"I'm not disagreeing with you," Gwydion frowned to himself, "I just think we should try and let the humans enjoy the peace of their holiday a little bit longer… while they still can."

Sigurd crossed his arms with a patient sigh, "You Summer Court folk were always too soft hearted toward the mortals for your own good… very well. For now, we will just have to wait."


	19. Silver Lining

**Episode 10: Part 1  
**

The cold dreary month of January had set in across the region and Somerset Valley had remained at relative peace. From within his cavernous hall in the Underworld, the lord of the Fomorian Host gave a restless growl as he stalked toward his jagged looking throne and sat down. The one eyed war chief of the monstrous horde turned his baleful gaze on the beautiful red headed fey woman standing in his midst with a calm expression. "It has been an entire month and there has been no action to seize the valley above us. I had elevated you to the rank of General because I thought you would be able to get things done Leanansidhe."

The young fey woman wearing her finest green dress smiled with a predatory look of amusement. "And I shall Lord Balor. Despite the drop off in attacks, I have been very busy of late preparing a new means to bring you victory."

"That being?"

Leanansidhe chuckled gently, "I shall make use of the Sluagh… the spirits of the restless dead to overwhelm the knights. Unlike our human enemies, the undead do not tire, feel pain, or require rest and supplies."

Balor scratched his chin for a long moment to think it over, "Interesting... but you do realize that the Sluagh are a still just horde of incorporeal spirits who will be difficult to control and harness. Without true forms they are useless to me anyway."

"Ah... true enough my lord, but a problem that can be easily corrected. That is where the Tenebrous Cauldron comes into play," Leanansidhe smiled.

The warlord stopped and narrowed his good eye on her, "What are you getting at witch? Where did you find it and what do you plan to do with it?"

Leanansidhe sighed and idly paced around the Great Hall of the Fomorians, "Never you mind where I found it Lord Balor. I have spies and informants in many places. The important thing is that we have it at our disposal. With it, we can draw in the restless spirits and reanimate them into a physical army of obedient undead warriors."

Balor gave a low rumble from his throat, "You are certain this will work?"

"I will see it personally my lord," Lenansidhe replied with a courteous bow.

Balor sat back on his throne and gave a slow but cruel smile, "Very good General. Commence the invasion immediately."

* * *

Elsewhere, a layer of white snow blanketed the forests and meadows of Somerset Valley giving some semblance of light to what was otherwise a gray overcast January afternoon. The Christmas and New Years holidays had passed leaving the students of the university the daunting task of staying motivated enough to start the new semester in the dead of winter.

On that particular day, Laura Gremory watched the snow sprinkle down while sitting with her friends in the warm safety of a common lounge room within their dormitory. At one corner of the room, Connor lazily reclined in an armchair reading a book while Noelle sat across the room at a table playing a game of Solitaire with some cards. Like Laura, Quinton was sitting near another window nearby, looking out over the lawns before giving a sigh.

"I don't know about you guys, but it's so depressing looking outside at all the snow and ice. It's just so barren, harsh, and desolate."

Laura gave a mild snort of amusement while Connor and Noelle both looked up to listen in. "Actually, I think you're looking at it all wrong Quinton. Everything looks so calm, bright, and pristine."

"Coming from the Knight of Winter I'm really not surprised at all," Noelle laughed gently.

Connor glanced outside from his chair and shrugged, "Hmm, I'm kinda with Quin on this one. Looks a bit too much like the arctic out there for my liking."

"What's wrong, scared of a little snow? _Ice flow nowhere to go, lost in the blinding whiteness of the tundraaaaa_?" Laura laughed in a somewhat exaggerated sing song tone while waving her arms.

Everyone stopped and stared at her for a moment causing her to cross her arms, "What? Have none of you ever heard of the Mighty Boosh? It's a brilliant comedy show back home."

Everyone continued to remain quiet and shrug before Laura gave a big sigh and shook her head, "Philistines."

As the others chuckled, they were cut off when they heard a phone begin to ring. Connor immediately reached down and answered his buzzing phone, "Hey Kristen, yeah we're all here... really? Okay... we're on our way."

Everyone turned to look at him as he tucked his phone away, "I guess we'll have to make our way out on the tundra after all. That was Kristen and she said there's been a sighting of Leanansidhe."

At the mention of the name, everyone knew that if Balor's own general was involved it couldn't have been good. The four knights hurried from the room to grab their winter coats and make their way out into the snow to do battle once again with their Fomorian enemies.

* * *

Meanwhile, Stephen Gentum-Smith sat by himself in a local coffeehouse at the edge of campus town. As he did, he idly skimmed the business section of the newspaper and took a sip of tea from his cup on the table. The young well dressed man with blonde hair and a gray coat passively listened while a group of fellow students chattered away and gossiped at a nearby table.

'What a bunch of idiots,' he sniffed to himself while he continued to read, To him, they were wasting so much time and breath over such trivial things. He just wished they didn't have to be so loud.

Part of him also couldn't understand why so many of the students, especially his fellow freshmen felt the need to move everywhere in herds of inseparable people. If they couldn't live or function without being around others then so be it, but he was used to being by himself and that's just the way he preferred things. Before he went back to reading the newspaper, he stopped when he felt a cold draft of wind coming through the door as it opened.

He glanced up and stopped at the odd sight before him. Standing in the doorway were two male figures who almost looked like medieval lords. They were both tall and fair skinned with handsome features and lordly robes. One was blonde and dressed in red and gold while the other was a dark haired stranger wearing blue and white. Over their robes was finely crafted armor and impressive looking swords at their sides. Perhaps the most striking things about the two strangers were their long pointed ears and the graceful almost unearthly way that they moved.

Stephen sat up gawking at his table before noticing a rippling in the air which swirled about the room. Amid the sparkling iridescent light, the two Elves scanned the room before walking calmly toward Stephen at his table.

The young man felt his pulse quicken and he glanced about in alarm only to find that everyone else in the room seemed to be frozen in time, or perhaps moving in extremely slow motion. He recoiled in his seat and stammered, "Who... who... who are you? What do you want with me?"

The Elf in red strode forward with a regal bearing before fixing his eyes on the startled young student, "You are the one known as Stephen? Stephen Gentum-Smith?"

Stephen swallowed and trembled in fear before giving a nod.

The two Elves exchanged another look before the one in red cleared his throat, "I am Lord Gwydion of the Summer Court and this is my associate Lord Sigurd of the Winter Court. We are Sidhe knights and representatives of the Court of Stars."

"What?" Stephen squeaked, "What are you talking about? Please... don't kill me."

Sigurd sighed in mild annoyance before shaking his head, "We are not here to do you any harm mortal. The Court of Stars has summoned you and we are here to collect you."

"I don't understand anything you're talking about! What have you done to all the people here?"

Gwydion glanced about calmly, "A minor enchantment so that we can speak to you without anyone here knowing. I assure you, it's really quite harmless."

"To your original point," Sigurd continued, "Perhaps you are aware of the monster attacks that have been plaguing your town and of the magic knights who have risen up to fight them?"  
Stephen nodded in silence.

"Those knights have been empowered by the Four Elven Courts of the Faerie Realm which we serve. The Four Courts have formed a separate unified council, the Court of Stars and they wish for you to join the fight as their chosen representative."

Stephen blinked in shock before shaking his head, "I... you must be mistaken. Why me? I'm a nobody... really. I'm not some kind of warrior."

Sigurd growled and reached for his blade, "We have no time for this! Such sniveling cowardice! I'm inclined to believe you that you aren't worthy of this honor the Court is giving you."

Gwydion gently put a hand on his ally's forearm and spoke in a level voice, "Please... stay your hand Lord Sigurd. Threats will not get us anywhere."

Sigurd grudgingly sheathed his sword and glowered at Stephen before Gwydion turned his eyes on the student. "Lord Sigurd is right that time grows short. There is much to discuss so please... come with us. We will take you to the Court and they will explain everything."

Stephen looked around at the frozen people around him and then to the stern expression of the Winter noble. By all accounts, he really didn't have any choice at the moment. Still unsure of what was going on or why he was summoned, Stephen rose from his table and tried to compose himself, "All right... if that's what it's going to take to get to the bottom of this, then so be it."

"A wise choice mortal," Sigurd said while leading the way out of the temporarily enchanted coffeehouse.

* * *

The skies remained gray and overcast as a light snow continued to sprinkle down over the valley while the Fomorian general Leanansidhe worked over a large ornate cauldron made of black metal. Sinister sigils and inscriptions lined the pot while a horrible steaming concoction of glowing liquid brewed within in. The sorceress looked up idly to the skies and continued to stir the contents before glancing about her immediate surroundings.

She and a small platoon of spriggan foot soldiers had taken up their post on a small hill within a cemetery located at the far northwest edge of town. The large quiet burial grounds served as a perfect testing ground for the next part of Leanansidhe's sinister plans with the dark magic of the Tenebrous Cauldron. If the myths of the ancient Celts were right, then this was going to be a very fruitful project.

The witch stepped back and raised her hands while speaking a long incantation in ancient Gaelic. As she did, wispy forms of moaning humanoid spirits began to rise from several graves. The spriggans all exchanged uncomfortable looks but Leanansidhe remained unperturbed while she continued her spell and directed the swirling spirits together over the bubbling cauldron. As Leanansidhe's voice became louder and her words grew in force, she whipped her arms and motioned to hurl the first batch of undead spirits into the cauldron.

The Fomorian general gave a devilish smile and looked over the pot before she heard the sound of thundering hooves. She and her spriggan patrol all raised their eyes to see four faerie horses race on to the scene carrying the four Hibernian Knights. Each knight had already donned their armor and quickly dismounted to confront their enemies.

"Well... if it isn't the four hedge knights again. You came just in time to witness my triumph over you."

"That's funny witch. Last I remembered, we had driven you back into the Underworld with your tail between your legs." Noelle called out while drawing her sword.

Laura narrowed her own eyes on the scene before them, "Whatever vile magic you're working on, you'd better stand down and run while you can."

Leanansidhe sniffed with contempt, "Oh, I seriously doubt that Winter Knight. Once my newest warriors and I are through with you, I'm going to turn you into mindless servants of Lord Balor as well and use the powers of the Four Courts against themselves too. Spriggans! Attack!"

The general continued to stir the cauldron and chant while the knights drew their weapons and moved to meet with the foot soldiers. Despite the snowy uneven ground, the four deftly clashed and maneuvered through their opponents skillfully dodging and parrying attacks, while unleashing devastating counter-blows with their own swords. Once they had thinned the enemy ranks, the four regrouped and moved from a defensive fighting style into more aggressive stances.

Leanansidhe watched calmly as the four knights made ready to take her on before she laughed and drew her sword, waving it over the cauldron with a flourish, "Now witness the beginning of the end. Behold the Cauldron-Born!"

A great flash of light and smoke erupted from the large black cauldron and the four knights stopped to flinch in fear and uncertainty at the sudden explosion of magic energies. As the steam began to clear, the four froze and watched in dread as humanoid monsters began emerging from the cauldron. One by one, the moaning groaning beings crawled out of the pot, armed with assorted weapons and chain-mail armor. As they gathered, the knights could see that these warriors had sallow rotting flesh and skeletal features. The zombies continued to pull themselves from the cauldron to replace the entire platoon of fallen spriggans.

"What kind of sick joke is this?" Quinton gulped in growing fear at the unnerving sight of the undead horde.

"Surely you recognize the Sluagh?" Leanansidhe chuckled, "The spirits of the evil restless dead of old. I have merely reanimated them and brought them under the control of Lord Balor. After all, you cannot kill what is already dead."

Connor ignited his sword and leveled it at the general, "I don't know what you're trying to do Leanne, but this isn't right! Stop your spell and call off this zombie apocalypse."

"For the last time, do not call me by that name!" Leanansidhe shrieked in fury before gripping her sword and moving to the head of her undead company, "First I will deal with you four. Then the vanguard of the Cauldron-Born will put the rest of your miserable valley to the torch until it submits to Lord Balor."

"You seem to forget we have plenty of fight left in us," Laura challenged her while flourishing her own icy rapier.

Leanansidhe returned the challenge with a predatory smile and signaled her new minions forward, "I think you and your companions will tire long before my undead cohorts will. Now then... defend yourselves!"

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **The idea of the Tenebrous Cauldron takes some major inspiration from an ancient Celtic myth of the _Pair Dadeni_ , or Cauldron of Rebirth. The ideas here are also a bit of a respectful nod towards the Chronicles of Prydain written by Lloyd Alexander. The books are steeped in ancient Welsh lore and was a classic Fantasy series that I loved to read when I was just a kid. One of the books in the series revolves around a quest for the "Black Cauldron" and it's perhaps my favorite stand alone story. Otherwise, here we go! The Fifth Knight arc has officially begun.**


	20. A Star is Born

**Episode 10: Part 2  
**

Stephen stood in a large hallway resembling that of some medieval manor. He still couldn't be quite sure where he was after following Gwydion and Sigurd through a glowing portal, but wherever it was, it could not have been anywhere near Somerset Valley. Before him were four great stone chairs with powerful Elvish Dukes sitting in them. While they all shared a similar noble appearance and bearing, they wore different colors: red, blue, orange, and green. Lining the hall were what looked to be their attendants, servants, and a few heavily armed warriors in armor. Hanging above the servants and soldiers were four large blue banners with a white north star symbol upon them.

After listening to the Elven Dukes speak, Stephen finally took a deep breath and nodded, "I see… so this warlord Balor and his Fomorian army want to attack our worlds, starting with mine. I understand your kings and queens convened this council to start unifying the Four Courts... but there's something I still don't understand. Why me? I don't know anything about magic, or faeries, or any of this. Up until recently, I had no idea this was even real or that the fey existed alongside us humans."

"Ah… but that is where you're wrong child," the Duke of Autumn said gently, "You know much more about our magic than you're aware. You are naturally attuned to faerie magic… it's in your very blood."

"What? No! That's impossible!" Stephen protested. "I grew up like every other normal kid. I may have been adopted, but I was still raised by two mothers and they were never into any of that crazy witchcraft stuff."

The Duke of Spring spoke next, "That may be, but neither of them were ever aware of your true heritage."

"You keep saying that," Stephen stated, "What are you talking about? Are you people spying on me for some reason? What do you know that I don't?"

The four remained silent before the Duke of Winter answered, "We watch over our own and try to protect them… even those who find themselves caught between two worlds. Tell me Stephen, have you ever heard of a Changeling?"

The young man shook his head prompting the Duke of Winter to speak again, "In our world, Changelings are the product of a union between a fey parent and a mortal one. Whether or not they are aware of it, they make a choice when they reach a certain age… usually in early adolescence. Does one become fey like us, or do they become a mortal human?"

Stephen stood frozen in shock while his stomach dropped, "Wait… are you saying I'm part fey? One who unconsciously decided to become human? That's impossible! That means my original mom or dad was a…"

"An Elf? Yes," the Duke of Winter nodded, "In fact it was your father. Surely you've always felt a bit different while growing up? Plagued by a feeling of uncertainty or struggling to find a place in which you could belong?"

Stephen staggered backward, now overcome with questions and confusion about who he was, where he was, and why. Before he could ask another question, the Duke of Summer spoke.

"We have word that Lord Balor has gotten his hands on a terrible artifact that could be used as a weapon and we fear the four knights who defend your town will not be enough to stand against its necromantic power. That is why this Court of Stars wishes to empower you with the means to render them aid. With our sanction comes great authority and responsibility as you wield a combined fraction of our Courts' might."

Stephen blinked, "Wait… you're making me a knight too? How?"

The Duke of Summer gestured to a servant who stepped forward bearing a small wooden box. Inside was a magnificent archer's bracer for the forearm. It was made of silver steel and adorned with ancient Celtic script and decorative star patterns. "With this bracer, you will command the powers of the stars and use them to strike down our enemies."

Stephen took the bracer and hesitantly slipped it on over his forearm. Naturally, it was a perfect fit. He couldn't be entirely certain if there was some coincidence that his own hobby in a martial art was that of archery. But if it meant that he was granted power… power that he could use to achieve even more greatness, well… that sounded like an intriguing proposition.

As he flexed his wrist, Stephen heard the Duke of Winter speak, "Be aware mortal that every exchange with our kind involves a contract or bargain of fair exchange. With the power and authority that we grant you, we expect you to swear commitment to the cause of ridding the world of Balor for us. Is that understood?"

Stephen stopped and tried to calm his breathing. He waited a long moment before slowly nodding, "Yes… I understand."

The Duke of Autumn gestured to the other end of the hallway where he opened a shimmering portal, "Then rise Sir Stephen, Knight of the Silver Stars. Go forth and aid the other Knights in their time of need."

Stephen's face hardened and he turned on his heel walking toward the portal. Wherever he was going now, he had to be ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead and he was going to rely on only himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, a fierce battle was already raging in the northern cemetery of Somerset Valley. The four knights clashed weapons against those of the undead zombie warriors created by Leanansidhe and her cauldron of vile magic.

Amid the ringing sounds of steel, Connor pushed through the undead warriors and slashed his way to Leanansidhe. As he vaulted over a few low standing gravestones, he finally reached the general and locked blades with her. As they pushed against each other's weapons, the Summer Knight intensified the flames that radiated from his blade, "Give it up Leanansidhe. We're going to wipe out your zombies just like we did your spriggan troops."

The General sniffed and pushed him aside to put some distance between them, "You make great boasts Summer Knight, yet you understand so little."

As she said that, the other knights combined their attacks to halt the rest of the enemy infantry. Using the increased ambient power of the Winter season, Laura whipped her blade around and called upon the snow underfoot to solidify and trap the Cauldron-Born in place. Quinton and Noelle immediately took the initiative and charged their weapons to unleash several great cleaving blows upon the vulnerable zombie warriors.

In a final burst of frost and ice from the Winter Knight, the three cut their way through the final Cauldron-Born and regrouped to face the Fomorian commander. While the Cauldron-Born had been more heavily armed and skilled than the average spriggan warrior, they had not been especially difficult to defeat in combat either.

"Is that all your boneheads have got Leanansidhe?" Quinton called out with rising confidence, "They weren't that much better than your usual minions."

Leanansidhe smiled, "True enough Spring Knight, but can the spriggans do this?"

She snapped her fingers and to the knights' astonishment, all the undead warriors they had slashed apart began to reassemble themselves and quickly regenerate until they were back to full fighting form.

"Like I said, you will tire long before the Cauldron-Born and when they have slain you, I'll make sure to have you join their ranks."

While the recovered zombie warriors began to encircle the knights and close in, Noelle turned her blade toward the general, "Then I guess that just means we'll have to cut off the head of the snake first. Come on everyone!"

Leanansidhe shrieked as she clashed again with all four knights and deftly swept aside each of their passing strikes. While the knights tried to regroup, the zombies were already upon them attacking from all sides. Connor and Laura tried to make another push toward Leanansidhe but found themselves momentarily blocked by several undead combatants.

"Come on Noelle, we can take her!" Quinton shouted as he rushed forward with his electrically charged weapons.

From nearby, the Autumn Knight hurled her curved blade in her signature boomerang attack to lead Quinton but gasped in dismay as a Cauldron-Born stepped in the way and took the hit for Leanansidhe instead.

Having had their joint attack thrown off, the Spring Knight faltered a moment and brought his weapons around in a wild swing which the fey woman easily deflected. She immediately lashed back and struck Quinton aside with a punishing sword blow before whipping another powerful bolt of magic at Noelle who was tangling with several more minions.

The blast exploded and blew apart several of the skeletal warriors while also throwing Noelle sideways into the cold hard icy ground.

"You'll pay for that!" Laura shouted as she saw her fellow female comrade fall to the turf in a stunned heap. The Winter Knight broke free and assaulted Leanansidhe with a flurry of icy rapier thrusts and slashes which momentarily put the Fomorian leader on the defensive. While Laura was so focused on pressing her attack, she failed to notice a Cauldron-Born sneaking up from behind to strike with a hand axe.

"Look out!" Connor cried as he rushed in beside Laura and blocked the strike from behind. With a flick of his sword, Connor deftly decapitated the skeletal warrior in a counter slash. Laura turned a moment to give him an appreciative nod but the distraction and interference from the other Cauldron-Born troops cost them as Leanansidhe surprised the two knights with a charged counter slash of her own. The brutal strike hurled the two heroes backward to the ground and caused their armor to dispel. As Connor and Laura struggled to regain their senses and help each other rise to their knees, Leanansidhe and her Cauldron-Born closed in for the kill.

"You thought you could best me, did you?" the fey woman said with a cruel laugh, "When I reanimate you, I will make you my personal manservant Summer Knight."

The general raised her blade but gasped as a bright silver bolt of light whizzed by and knocked it from her hand. Both the knights and the Fomorians all stopped and turned in the direction of the bolt to see another knight clad in shining silver armor.

His immaculate silver steel armor bore a passing semblance to the others knights but it was accented further with ornate Celtic script and motifs of star patterns embossed on the plates. Under the mysterious warrior's armor plates was a dark colored hauberk giving him some contrast while in his hand, he hefted a magnificent bow.

"What the hell is going on? Another knight?" Quinton gasped in shock while Noelle staggered over to help him up.

"What is going on here?" Connor muttered as he pulled Laura to her feet but the Winter Knight simply shrugged.

"I haven't the slightest clue."

The silver knight stepped forward and leveled his bow again, "Stand aside monster... unless you want to be brought to justice."

Leanansidhe snarled, "What arrogance! How dare you talk to me like that! Who are you?"

The knight reached to his bow and drew back an enchanted bowstring causing a glowing arrow to materialize, "I am the Silver Knight... chosen champion of the Court of Stars."

The general paused and gasped, "Court of Stars? Then that must mean the Four Courts are beginning to unify."

She turned to her remaining troops and waved them forward, "Kill him!"

The knight released his arrow and the brilliant bolt struck a Cauldron-Born next to her, completely blasting it apart.

The knights watched as the undead zombies charged toward their new ally but the knight was ready for them. He turned his bow and used it as a melee weapon, batting several away and parrying aside a few of their attacks before firing another arrow directly overhead. To everyone's surprise, the silver arrow exploded like a firework in the shape of a brilliant starburst before raining down a slew of smaller bolts upon the zombies in a ring around the knight. As the smoke cleared and the shredded undead soldiers collapsed, the four Hibernian Knights turned to see Leanansidhe had retreated back toward the Tenebrous Cauldron and prepared to make a getaway.

"Hey! Whoever you are, aim for the kettle! Take that thing out!" Laura shouted.

The Silver Knight glanced over and nodded before readying another charged arrow.

Leanansidhe growled and waved her arm, "Fools! We'll finish this another day!"

In a flash, she and the cauldron dematerialized into a jet of dark green smoke which quickly swept over the battlefield and scooped up all the remains of the Cauldron-Born before blowing away in the wind.

Having witnessed the Fomorian retreat, the remaining knights powered down and stood dumbfounded at the newest arrival as he lowered his weapon and walked over to them. As he approached, the archer stopped when he saw Quinton, "Wait… I recognize you. You're one of the other knights?"

Quinton blinked with a flash of surprise and a little bit of apprehension, "Sorry? Do I know you?"

The archer glanced over and saw Laura before giving a nod and removing his helmet. "Stephen Gentum-Smith, at your service."

"You… you're that crazy guy with the bow who tried taking on the demon horse a few months ago," the Winter Knight exclaimed.

Stephen looked to her and tried to give a gallant smile, "You're welcome. I have to say that it all makes sense now why you were there at that battle too."

Stephen was cut off as Connor stepped in, "Listen... we appreciate the help back there but who are you and what is going on? We didn't get word from any of our allies that there was going to be another knight joining the battle."

"Then I'm afraid you've been out of the loop," Stephen said bluntly as he dispelled his own armor leaving his magic archer's bracer on his wrist, "The Court of Stars has sent me to help you because they said you wouldn't be able to handle this new threat on your own."

"Leave it to the fey to act without us when we're the ones fighting their war," Connor muttered sourly.

"Everyone… I don't know what this Court of Stars is, but we should probably go talk to Kristen. She might be able to tell us what's going on or to contact her fellow Druids," said Noelle with a tired sigh.

"Yes," Stephen nodded, "I was told you four have allied yourselves with a Druid of some sort. The Court said your mentor might be able to help and give me more answers."

"No offense Stephen, but we barely know you... or have reason to trust you," Quinton said carefully.

"I'm not looking for it," Stephen replied bluntly, "Honestly, it doesn't really matter to me whether or not I have your trust. The fact of the matter is, we're both fighting the Fomorians together, so you'll just have to consider me an ally… at least for now."

As joint leaders of the team, both Connor and Laura exchanged an uneasy look with each other before the Winter Knight sighed, "We might as well use this time to regroup and figure things out while Leanansidhe is away."

Stephen tightened his features before looking expectantly toward the two knights, "Well then… what are we waiting for?"


	21. Toil and Trouble

**Episode 11: Part 1  
**

As early evening set in, the five knights gathered near the warm fireplace of Kristen's antique shop to ward away the darkness and chill of the winter weather outside. While they sat, Stephen related his odd story and his meeting with the Court of Stars while a small pot of vegetable stew finished cooking over the fireplace.

Just as Stephen finished his story, he looked down and noticed a small lanky gargoyle walk up to the fireplace with some large cups and fill them with soup from the pot. He blinked in surprise as he watched the gargoyle known as Scratch hand the soup cup to Laura and receive an affectionate little pat on the head from the Winter Knight.

"Is that… you guys have a real live gargoyle as a pet?" Stephen asked in astonishment.

"Two actually," Connor smiled as he handed a couple small crackers to a second shorter pudgier gargoyle. The little creature named Yum-Yum sat down by the Summer Knight's feet and happily began munching on his snack.

"Where did you get them?" Stephen asked in wonder while staring at them.

Quinton shrugged, "Oh, trust me. It's a long story so we'll tell you later."

Everyone watched as Scratch ambled over and began to squawk quietly at his counterpart, seemingly berating Yum-Yum for making a mess on the floor while eating his crackers. Before long, the two little creatures began to scuffle and roll away, wrestling around on the floor in the midst of a petty gargoyle argument.

"Don't mind them Stephen," Kristen sighed as she sat down with her own cup of soup, "Those two aren't completely housebroken yet."

No sooner had she said that was when a crash was heard in the corner causing her to wince. After suppressing a small grumble, she turned to the newest Silver Knight and looked him over curiously. "You said that the Court of Stars has officially convened. The Four Courts have officially decided to come together to take action? Have they mobilized any military forces?"

Stephen shook his head, "I wish I could say but they didn't tell me much at all. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only one they sent to help you."

Kristen crossed her arms and gave a pensive frown to herself, "If that's the case, then the Courts are likely still mired in political arguments. I wish they would have notified us, or at the very least gotten input from the Druid Councils but I suppose we'll have to make due in the meantime."

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around this Changeling thing," Noelle said giving a slightly apprehensive look toward Stephen, "I mean, it must be a bit of a shock learning that one of your parents might have been an Elf or some other faerie creature, right?"

Stephen grimaced and wrung his hands, "I'm still trying to process a lot of things… and it's made me start asking a lot of questions about myself and who I am. After all, how would you feel if you were just told you were some half human freak and that made you just the right person to fight in a supernatural war?"

Everyone else fell silent and looked to their own rings. While the other knights were in fact fully human, they had happened upon their powers and duties by sheer accident. While they were still bound in some ways by the geas enchantment of their rings, the four of them were not directly connected to the fey or beholden to the wishes of their respective Courts either.

Stephen looked somberly into the crackling fires, "There's still a lot I don't know, but what I do know is that if fighting these Fomorian monsters will give me answers and a means to grow powerful, then that's what I'm going to do."

Laura eyed him for a moment before clearing her throat, "Speaking of the Fomorians, Leanansidhe had nearly overwhelmed us with a horde of her undead monsters called the Sluagh. Kristen, she was using a magical cauldron of great evil to animate them. Do you know anything about what that might be?"

Their Druid mentor sat up and furrowed her brow, "Of course… it must be the Tenebrous Cauldron… even I thought it was just a myth."

Everyone sat quietly and listened as Kristen got up and brought over her tome of lore from the shelf, "There was an ancient Welsh myth of a powerful artifact called the Pair Dadeni, or the Cauldron of Rebirth. According to the Mabinogi writings, this magic cauldron had the power to restore life to slain warriors. Other stories of magical cauldrons have existed in folklore and one of them that my Druid order learned about was an evil one called the Tenebrous Cauldron."

"Is there anything in there about how we stop it, or destroy it?" Quinton asked hopefully.

Kristen grimaced and shook her head, "Not exactly. The myths vary widely so we'd need to do a lot more research to find any common threads or potential weaknesses."

Quinton ate a few spoonfuls of soup before handing his cup to Scratch to finish. "I'm also a little worried about what Balor and Leanansidhe are going to do with the cauldron. I mean, the Fomorian objective is easy enough, but it still seems a little too simple and direct… at least for Leanansidhe."

"Agreed," Laura chimed in, "I think it's important we try to think ahead and plan for other strategies the enemy might be able to use while controlling the cauldron."

The others fell silent and sat in contemplation before Connor finally rose to his feet, "All right then… there's a lot to do so we might as well try to be proactive. Noelle and Quinton, why don't you two stay here for now and help Kristen work out a way to counter the Cauldron-Born. Laura and I will go out on the first patrol and keep the Fomorians away from the local cemeteries. Stephen, how about you… hey, where do you think you're you going?"

Everyone turned to see the Silver Knight had risen from his chair and began to slip on his coat, preparing to leave the shop. He glanced over and regarded them coolly, "I'm going home. Just let me know when the bad guys show up again and I'll take care of it for you all."

"Wow… and I thought Laura could be a little full of herself sometimes," Quinton whispered to Kristen in an aside.

Even though the Winter Knight didn't hear Quinton, she frowned and stood up from her chair, "You can't just up and leave Stephen. There's a job to do and another battle to prepare for."

"That may be," Stephen answered patiently, "But it's not exactly my business to worry about it. I'll handle things on my own terms… in the way I see fit."

While normally known for her quieter gentler disposition, Noelle even narrowed her eyes with a sharp hint of annoyance in her voice, "What is your problem Stephen? We're not the enemy here."

"And you're not exactly friends either," the Silver Knight retorted with a shrug, "You four might have your own loyalties and ways of doing things, but I answer only to the Court of Stars. If Mr. Walsh over there wants to issue battle orders, then fine. I still have no obligation to listen or follow them."

By now Quinton rose to his feet angrily defending his friends, "Connor and Laura took leadership of this team because they earned that right and because they gave us their trust too."

The Summer Knight placed a calming hand on Quinton's shoulder and stepped forward to address Stephen. While he was clearly angry as well, Connor spoke in a hard but level tone, "Listen Stephen, if you want to act like a huge jackass and not be part of this team, then fine. That's your choice. You might think you're really powerful, but I'm here to tell you that the Fomorians are dangerous and they won't hesitate to kill you. The only way we're going to survive this war is by working together… even if we don't always see eye to eye."

He glanced over toward Laura who gave a silent nod of approval, remembering how the two of them had once come to blows before resolving their own differences. Stephen remained unmoved and walked past Connor before opening the door, "If that red-headed witch shows her face again, I'll join in the battle. Outside of that, I've got my own things to sort out right now."

Connor quietly scowled as he watched Stephen leave while the two little gargoyles hurried over to join the Summer Knight. Scratch made a rude face toward the departing form of Stephen while Yum-Yum blew a raspberry at the Silver Knight's back.

After the tension in the room had died down some, Laura cleared her throat, "Quinton, why don't you take my place and join Connor on the first patrol instead."

The Spring Knight raised his eyebrows in confusion, "Where are you going?"

Laura walked over to the coat-rack and put on her winter coat, "I'm going to go and talk to him."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Noelle asked with a skeptical look.

"I'm a big girl," Laura replied firmly, "Besides… I have an idea."

Connor crossed his arms, "You really think that you'll be able to reach him?"

The Winter Knight opened the door and gave a nod, "I do. I think I might be able to find some common ground… but we have to at least try, don't you think?"

"Good luck Laura. Keep us posted," Kristen called giving a supportive nod from her chair.

As Laura closed the door and departed, the other three could only exchange quiet looks filled with reluctance and uncertainty.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the far edge of the snowy valley, Leanansidhe growled as she stalked about the small cave she had taken temporary refuge in. A handful of spriggans worked to polish the sinister looking Tenebrous Cauldron while a pack of the undead Cauldron-Born stood guard at the cave mouth. She had not expected another knight to appear, much less one sponsored by the Court of Stars. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed a new plan and that plan would require more help.

Ideally, she needed more time to gather lost restless spirits of the Sluagh to turn into physical warriors but with the knights on the alert, she would be hard pressed to increase her ranks for a full on assault of the town. As she paced, she looked toward her last remaining spriggans before eying her new Cauldron-Born.

That was when an idea struck her. She walked over and pulled aside one her spriggan servants, "You there! Come with me. I have a special assignment for you. I'm going to need you to go back to the Underworld and fetch something for me. Do you think you can do that?"

The spriggan cowered and gave a submissive nod.

"Very good," Leanansidhe smirked as she stopped to admire the Tenebrous Cauldron, "Even if they have a new ally, the knights won't know what to do next."

She heard the spriggan chatter again, seemingly asking a question before the fey woman lashed out and gripped the foot soldier's neck in a crushing grip, "Will I inform Lord Balor of the new knight? Of course not you fool! Do you have any idea how badly he'd react to news of the Four Courts organizing?"

She tightened her grip and fixed her menacing eyes on the beady ones of the minion, "Return to the Underworld and do as I asked you. Do not speak of this development to anyone. Is that understood?"

The spriggan nodded and feebly choked out an affirmative sound before the general released him. Leanansidhe watched in silence as the spriggan scuttled away into the shadows before turning back to the cave-mouth. One way or the other, she was determined to defeat the knights and secure the valley for her Fomorian master. If that involved using deceit or underhanded tactics, then so be it.

* * *

The next afternoon, Noelle Moreau sat at a long wooden desk in the antique shop poring over some books with Kristen while Connor worked to tidy up the store. The store had just closed for the day and the last customers had just walked out the door. Although it wasn't quite dinner time, the winter skies had already grown dark prompting an early nightfall set in over the rest of the snowy valley town.

As Connor finished reorganizing the shelves, both Scratch and Yum-Yum worked together to push a broom in the corner and be helpful too. From where they sat at the table, Kristen leaned back in her seat and rubbed her eyes after a while of studying, "I think I'm starting to go a little cross-eyed. I haven't found anything remotely helpful about the Tenebrous Cauldron in these texts."

She glanced over and gave a hopeful look toward the Autumn Knight, "Hopefully you've had some better luck?"

Noelle chewed her lip as she flipped a couple pages of the tome she was reading, "I don't know… maybe. I decided to approach this from a different angle and looked stuff up on that original cauldron you mentioned… the Pair Dadeni. In the old story, it was actually destroyed by a warrior who snuck inside of it and destroyed it from within… however he lost his own life in the process. I wonder if the Tenebrous Cauldron would be vulnerable in a similar way."

"Well... it makes sense," Kristen admitted with a thoughtful look, "After all, the life force of a living being would be a good counter to the deathly power of the artifact."

"If that's the case, the question becomes how do we get a living being to willingly sacrifice itself to destroy that thing?" Connor asked as he began to walk over and join the two girls. "I'm pretty sure no sensible person is going to be lining up for that duty."

Just as he stepped forward, the two gargoyles accidentally pushed their oversized broom right into the Summer Knight's path causing him to trip and fall face first into the ground. Connor sat up and gave a mild groan, as the two little creatures began squabbling again over whose fault that was. Kristen could only shake her head and give a sigh as Noelle walked over to help Connor up, "That's another good question we need to figure out. For now, we'll just have to hope Laura is having a better go of it in trying to talk Stephen into being more cooperative."

"Well Kristen, let's all hope you're right," Connor said before picking up the broom and using it to gently swat the two gargoyles and break up their petty squabble.


	22. Noblesse Oblige

**Episode 11: Part 2  
**

Stephen Gentum-Smith sat by himself in the corner of the café that he liked to frequent. Amid the warm inviting smell of coffee wafting through the air and the sounds of laughter and socializing students, Stephen tried in vain to read the newspaper... trying to retain some semblance of normality and routine after everything that had happened.

Despite his attempts to try and rationalize the utterly surreal situation, he wasn't succeeding at all. As he sighed and put down the newspaper, he looked up when he heard a familiar feminine voice. "The Knight of Stars holding court in a Starbucks café… subtle."

Stephen watched as Laura Gremory walked over and unbundled her winter coat before sitting down at the table across from him. He gave a mild snort of amusement before she leaned back calmly, "You're not an easy man to track down Stephen."

"Maybe I prefer it that way," he muttered, "I'm guessing you're here to lecture me some more about insulting your friends yesterday?"

"Well… you did act like a bit of a tosser the other day, but I'm actually here to try and talk you into joining us again. I'm sure you can't deny that we'd all be stronger and have a much better chance of victory if we acted together."

"Sorry, I'm more comfortable with only relying on myself. It's the way I've always done things and now that I know the truth… that I'm half you-know-what… it's all beginning to make more sense… about why I was bullied so much for being poor and why I never really fit in, or wanted friends in my old stuck-up prep school. It's really easy for you to say all this considering you… well, have friends."

Laura fell silent and gave a sigh as her expression darkened slightly, "No… I do understand and that's why it's important I talk about this with you. Before I fell in with the other knights, I was just like you. I didn't really have any friends here and I didn't think I needed any."

Stephen frowned slightly, "Your British accent is still pretty strong… you're still fairly new here? Is that why you were lonely?"

Laura gave a grim smile, "Among other reasons… and family reasons… yes. I was frustrated, confused, and a little angry at the world... not knowing where I was… or who I was."

"But that all changed when you became a knight?" Stephen inferred.

Laura nodded, "Connor and his other friends Quinton and Noelle were the first ones to really reach out and try to accept me. Sure, I don't always agree or get along with them… but I can see that they're still good people and I'd be lying if I said I didn't care about them too. They make me feel wanted… and needed. Perhaps we could make you feel the same way?"

Stephen grimaced and glanced away for a moment as he felt his own resolve slightly waver. The Winter Knight had made a compelling argument and coming from such a pretty girl… well, that just made it even more persuasive.

Laura sensed the momentary pause and saw the gears turning in his head so she decided to try from another angle. "Stephen, you had sworn your loyalty to the Court of Stars, yes?"

The Silver Knight nodded slowly, "Like I said... you four aren't completely bound to the Courts and I can see your loyalties lie with each other first."

"Very true," Laura said, "But we also have another loyalty... whether or not we officially pledged an oath, the four of us are committed to protecting this town and all the people who live within it."

Stephen snorted again, "Why? It's not like they know who we are, or that they even really care anyway."

Laura narrowed her eyes, "We fight because it's the right thing to do. I come from the bloodline of a noble family in England and we were taught from a young age that those in our station should conduct ourselves accordingly. A noble has duties and responsibilities to society and because we have that wealth or power, the people will look to us for strength and leadership. The same goes with our weapons and armor here. As knights, we are responsible for the people here and they will look to us for protection."

"Maybe that's true across the pond in Britain, but I think this is a little different."

"I think not," Laura countered, while speaking very sharply and full of conviction. "The Court of Stars is no different than the others in that they expect some level of chivalry and decorum of us. For you to shirk that duty brings shame on them, and moreso upon yourself."

Stephen stopped and fell silent, both having been enlightened and rebuked by the Winter Knight's frank but honest words. She was right, but he hated the fact that he might have to openly admit that.

Laura waited for a long moment before speaking in a more calm and gentle voice, "I understand you have a lot to think about right now. Certainly learning about your unusual heritage would be a bit upsetting to anyone, but right now is not the time to sit and feel sorry for yourself. I admit that I don't know anything about being half-fey, but I do know what it's like to be an outsider and I know what it takes to own that and become stronger from it. Will you let us try to help you?"

Stephen looked to her and met the determined gaze of her blue eyes. After a pause, a hint of a smile pulled at the corner of his lips, "It sounds like being a knight has made you pretty wise. I guess I'll have a lot to learn now that I'm the young dumb freshman among you."

Laura blinked in surprise before giving an amused grin of her own, "Make that two freshmen. I won't be the only youngest person on the team anymore."

Before they could exchange any more words, Laura picked up her phone as it began to ring and vibrate, "It's Connor."

Stephen waited in grim silence while the Winter Knight answered her phone, then turned back to him, "The others say that Leanansidhe has returned. She's struck a local morgue across town and her zombie army is growing."

"We've got to go stop her then," Stephen nodded as he threw on his gray coat and scarf, "Have your friends come up with a strategy to stop her yet?"

Laura bit her lip and led the way while charging out the door into the cold winter air, "Sort of... I guess we'll just have to figure the rest out when we get to the battlefield."

* * *

Across town, a mixed company of spriggan warriors and zombified Cauldron-Born spread out and secured a large open air plaza where their mistress Leanansidhe worked over her evil cauldron. The large vile pot continued to glow and bubble while the fey witch called upon more restless spirits she had ensnared from some local morgues and graveyards to serve as her newest soldiers. No sooner had the last of the terrified civilians fled the scene was when three faerie steeds charged onto the grounds.

A few spriggans were trampled underfoot and the Fomorian ranks fell back in momentary surprise while Connor, Quinton, and Noelle reared up on their mounts then dismissed their horses. Leanansidhe looked up from her cauldron and regarded them calmly, "It seems you've returned for another chance to lock swords with me. I thought you already learned your lesson the first time."

"We're not here to play around Leanansidhe," Connor called back in a stern challenge, "Whatever you're up to, we're going to stop it and destroy your black cauldron!"

Quinton glanced over and saw that the ranks of the undead Cauldron-Born had swelled and grown larger than the last fight. He muttered quietly to his two friends, "Uh, guys... that's a whole lot of zombies."

Leanansidhe laughed in scornful amusement, "What a reckless boast Summer Knight. You think only three of you will be able to withstand my undead horde?"

"No... but I think five might," came a familiar voice as another faerie horse burst into the plaza and joined the three knights.

Everyone turned in surprise to see Laura on her horse with Stephen hitching a ride behind her. As she cantered around and unsummoned her steed, the Winter and Silver Knights joined their companions to face down the Fomorian general. "Apologies for the delay. We got here as soon as we could."

Noelle smiled and gave an impressed nod, "Wow... nice going Laura! You actually got Stephen to join us?"

"We'll worry about the details later Noelle," Laura answered as she stepped forward and took her place in their formation beside the Summer Knight, "Right now, we've got a witch to hunt."

While Stephen readied his archer's bracer, the other four brandished their glowing rings as they spoke in a unified chorus, " _Athru_!"

Leanansidhe and her troops recoiled for a moment and shielded their eyes as the five students disappeared in a bright colorful wall of light, only to emerge bearing the armor and weapons of their Faerie patrons. The Summer Knight drew his red glowing blade and held it out allowing for his three comrades to join their swords with his. They continued to wait as the new Silver Knight reached to his side and drew a short silver sword, placing his secondary weapon alongside those of this newfound comrades.

"Five Swords, One Heart! Hibernian Knights, To Arms!" the five called rallying together with a new revised battlecry.

Before the knights could move to attack, Leanansidhe began to smirk and raise her hand in a halting motion, "Not so fast knights... are you certain that's a wise decision? If you come after me, you risk the rest of your precious town getting put to the torch."

"Stop talking in circles Leanansidhe! What are you getting at?" Quinton shouted impatiently.

The fey witch chuckled and pulled a large ice crystal, summoning another monstrous Fomorian in a puff of her smoke. As the smoke dissipated, the knights looked on in shock to see the large hulking figure of an ice troll.

"In your haste to face me, the five of you failed to realize that I'd bring along another Fomorian ally from the Underworld to dispatch your little city. Maybe I'll have him tear down some buildings and eat some children while you tangle with the undead... or we can do it the other way around if you prefer?"

"You underhanded snake! You wouldn't dare!" Noelle shouted in outrage.

The fey witch cackled, "Oh, but I can my dear Autumn Knight. You can't defeat either of us divided and you can't be in two places at the same time... can you?"

The five heroes froze in momentary fear and confusion before Connor gripped his sword tightly, "Damn! We just got outmaneuvered!"

He stopped as he felt Laura reach out and grab his shoulder, "Connor... wait. Let's make a break for the cauldron and steal it. You said on the phone that we could destroy the cauldron if a living thing goes inside of it. As long as one of us keeps it away from Leanansidhe, her undead forces will be limited while the other four take down the troll. Either way, we'll force them to go where we want."

The Summer Knight weighed their options and quickly surveyed the battlefield before nodding. "Okay Laura, lead the charge. We'll cover you."

The Winter Knight stepped forward and waved the others on, "Let's go everyone! Stephen, you're with me!"

The combatants on both sides rushed forward and collided in a chaotic melee in the center of the plaza. Connor, Quinton, and Noelle formed a frontal wedge and led the push against the Fomorians. While the three knights hacked and battered their way through the throng of spriggans and Cauldron-Born, the Winter and Silver Knights pushed past and made a break for the cauldron in the rear rank. Stephen battered aside a few spriggans with his bow before turning it sideways and firing a charged shot forward to clear their way.

As the silvery arrow tore through several spriggans and zombies, Laura charged through and approached the cauldron until she was halted by Leanansidhe. The witch sprung on her with a drawn sword and shrieked, "You're not going anywhere little girl!"

Stephen watched the two female combatants tumble sideways before clashing again, so he turned and began to charge the cauldron. He wasn't quite sure what to do no next, but he decided he'd improvise and let the adrenaline rush carry him right now. Just as he reached the black cauldron, he was stopped as the big icy club of the winter troll smashed down in front of him. The Silver Knight juked sideways and brought his bow around to smash the side of the troll's head.

The large creature simply shrugged it off and calmly took another strike from Stephen before rearing back and swatting him with his hand. Stephen gasped as the troll backhanded him and sent him tumbling backwards in a heap. As the stunned knight tried to recover his senses, he saw the troll lumber up to try and finish him off. In a moment of desperation, Stephen turned his bow and fired a point blank arrow shot, sending the troll reeling back toward the cauldron.

Nearby, Laura tumbled sideways as she was blasted from one of Leanansidhe's spells. As she staggered to her feet, she glanced over and saw the troll fall over near the base of the cauldron. That was when she got a brilliant idea. "Stephen! Up and over, into the pot!"

The Silver Knight drew back another shot and nodded as Laura turned her rapier and threw it like a lawn dart into the ground by the troll. The moment the rapier struck the ground, a small column of ice solidified and rose, picking up the Fomorian off the ground. As the stunned troll rose up level with the rim of the cauldron, Stephen loosed his arrow and blasted the monster sideways to send it tumbling into the pot.

"He shoots! He scores!" Stephen cheered pumping a fist while Leanansidhe froze and gasped in horror.

The troll gave a terrible cry as it thrashed inside the evil cauldron and tried to claw its way out but its icy limbs slipped back inside as its life force was sucked in and consumed by the pot.

"No! What are you doing?" Leanansidhe cried as she watched the cauldron begin to shake violently while glowing cracks formed along the outer body of the artifact.

"I'm going to hit the dirt!" Laura shouted as she signaled her comrades and dove to the ground. Leanansidhe shrieked again and took on her gaseous form as the Tenebrous Cauldron exploded in a brilliant burst of light. As the light spread out from the blast, all the Cauldron-Born in the plaza froze and disintegrated to dust as the source of the power which animated them ceased to be.

"No! You can't do this to me!" the witch howled as the spirits of the Sluagh dissipated and the last of the cauldron fragments burned away.

"Oh yes we can," Laura laughed triumphantly, "The cauldrons of myth could be destroyed when a living thing gets inside of them. There was never any rule preventing a living monster from filling the same role... willing or not."

As much as Leanansidhe hated to admit it, the Winter Knight's cold pragmatism was solid. They had destroyed her monster and her cauldron one fell swoop. Giving one more audible growl, the witch swept across the battlefield and scooped up the few remaining spriggan troops before making her escape into the wintry air.

"Yeah, you'd better run you coward!" Noelle called waving her sword after the sorceress while the five knights regrouped in the ruined plaza.

As Connor took a moment to gaze out after the trailing plume of smoke from Leanansidhe, Quinton gave a relieved sigh, "Is everyone okay here?"

"Never better," Laura nodded before turning to the Silver Knight, "That was a brilliant shot Stephen."

"Oh... well... it was nothing," he replied feeling is face grow a little warm, thankful that his helmet's visor concealed his face. "Uh... we made a pretty good team back there, didn't we Laura?"

The Winter Knight looked to him in mild confusion, unable to read his expression from behind his visor before she gave a non-committal shrug, "Sure... I guess so."

Connor walked over and surveyed the remains of the cauldron and the smoking crater where it once stood, "Well, we really struck a major blow against Balor this time. I'm sure he won't be happy and the Four Courts will definitely take notice of this. We couldn't have done it without your help Stephen... thank you."

The Silver Knight remained silent and looked in surprise as the Summer Knight extended a hand, "We're going back to Kristen's to rest and regroup. We'll have a lot to tell her so are you going to be joining us?"

Stephen looked at the outstretched hand before glancing at Laura. The Winter Knight slowly nodded before Stephen turned back to Connor and tentatively shook his hand with a smile. "Well... someone's got to keep you four out of trouble. It might as well be me."

Quinton and Noelle exchanged a laugh and walked over toward the Silver Knight, "Welcome aboard Stephen."

Amid the praise and handshakes of the other knights, Stephen had to admit that it was a strange feeling to say the least. He wasn't used to the feeling of being around others, or having their attention... much less affection. As unusual and slightly uncomfortable as it was, it wasn't a bad feeling either. Perhaps Laura had been right. Perhaps he could learn to trust these people, especially considering the way they fought together and protected one another in battle. Perhaps he eventually would find more answers about his fey heritage and who he was... but for now, he could settle for trying to find a place where he might belong.

* * *

 **A/N:  
** **And so a new ally joins the team. Hopefully some you caught the little Macbeth reference in the previous chapter's title. Here, Laura touches on the meaning of this chapter's title. _Noblesse Oblige_ was a concept in which a noble, or person of wealth and power should realize that they also have social duties and responsibilities. **

**Ideally, it meant that a noble person (such as a knight) should be morally responsible and act with honor toward others, even to those beneath them. As it's also a French term, I'm sure Noelle would be well aware of this too. ;)**

 **Coming up, Valentine's Day is just around the corner so you can count on meddling faeries, magical mishaps, and some obligatory rom-com zaniness for our heroes. I figure we could use a more light hearted plot now to mix it up. Thanks for reading!**


	23. Mon Cheri, Ma Cherie

**Episode 12: Part 1  
**

Several weeks had passed since the last attack on Somerset Valley in which a horde of undead warriors was stopped with the help of a new knight and ally to the cause. While no one had expected the moody and aloof knight to seamlessly fit in, progress was slowly being made with another group outing to O'Doyle's Pub. On that particular late afternoon, Noelle Moreau led the way inside out of the chilly February air followed by Laura and Stephen. Over in the corner, they could see Connor and Quinton playing a game of darts while waiting for them.

After the others sat down at a booth, the Spring and Summer Knights joined them at the table. Stephen looked around the place and raised an eyebrow, "So... this is where you guys like to hang out, huh?

Laura shrugged, "Well, it's not the classiest or cleanest place on campus, but the others seem to like it and the food is pretty good too."

Quinton chuckled before glancing over to a flier hung up near the table, "Oh... hey guys, check this out. Looks like there are going to be some school sponsored Valentine's Day events coming up later this week. It says here there's a dance with live music being played by local bands. Who knows... maybe Eliza will be participating too."

Noelle gave a thoughtful look and then a cheerful smile, "Well, that sounds kinda fun. Maybe we should all consider trying to get dates and go."

"Ugh, Valentine's Day... don't remind me," Laura groaned in disgust, "I personally despise the holiday. Every year my parents will try to push off another hapless suitor on me in their never ending quest to marry me off."

"Well... that's awful. I actually really like the holiday," Stephen said defensively while crossing his arms.

"You? Mr. I'm-too-cool for everything?" Connor teased gently as Stephen scowled.

"Very funny. I like it because growing up I didn't get to see my moms that much. They were constantly working but they always took that day off to spend time with me and we'd do lots of fun things."

"Aww, that's actually really sweet of them," Noelle said.

Laura shrugged and grabbed Stephen's wrist pulling him up from the table, "Well then in that case, let me go introduce you to my older sister so you can pose as a fake boyfriend and get the rest of my family off my back."

The Silver Knight sputtered in surprise as he was dragged off amid the chuckles of the others. When they had left, Quinton scratched his chin, "You know... maybe I should try to go get some tickets to that dance. The only problem will be trying to figure out a good way to ask Kayla to go with me. I'll catch you guys later."

With that, the Spring Knight jumped up and left the table to go plan the next move in his own romantic pursuits. Just as quickly as everyone had gathered, they seemed to have disappeared leaving Connor and Noelle sitting across from each other blinking in surprise. After a pause, Connor cleared his throat, "Well... that was strange. I guess it's just you and me now, huh?"

Noelle gave a sheepish laugh, "Oh... right. Um, so now what? We've still got the whole rest of the afternoon free."

"Ah, I guess we could always just go out and find something to do together... I mean not together-together but as friends together, you know?" Connor fumbled.

"Totally... because any of us actually going on a date with each other would be really crazy, right?" Noelle nervously giggled feeling her own face grow a little warm from the idea.

The two exchanged another long awkward laugh before Connor tried to wave it off and decide on a neutral activity, "Okay then... um, wanna go back to campus? Maybe hit the bowling alley or the arcade?"

"Good idea, let's go!" Noelle quickly said while getting up and heading out the door, patting her own cheeks to regain her composure. Surely going bowling or playing some games would be a safe diversion and give her a little more time to make plans for that dance later in the week.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Underworld Leanansidhe cringed as she left the Great Hall of the Fomorians listening to the sounds of Lord Balor raging. The sounds of growls, crashes, and things getting thrown echoed down the cavern while the deflated general took a calming breath. With the news of the Knight of Stars, along with the destruction of the Tenebrous Cauldron, Balor had been furious. After withstanding a withering tirade, Leanansidhe felt like she had just been cut down a foot shorter than when she entered the throne.

Right now, she had to figure out a new way to redeem herself and get back in the good graces of her warlord master. She eventually returned to her own dwelling and walked about, idly looking over all sorts of natural spell ingredients while she sulked. Eventually, her eyes fell upon a jar full of purple colored pansy flowers. That gave her a devious idea. She would concoct a sort of charm spell which would ease Balor's mood and make her more favorable to him again. She also had the perfect test subjects in the five knights as they could prove useful should any chaos or confusion arise. A cunning smile crossed her lips as she took the flowers and got back to work.

* * *

The next day after classes, Noelle made her way toward the Student Union by herself to buy a pair of tickets for the Valentine's Day events hosted there. As she entered the building, she walked down a busy hallway toward the north wing of the building where tickets were being sold. When she neared the booth, she froze when she saw Quinton walking by from the other direction. She was hoping she wouldn't run into anyone she knew and silently whispered a few choice curse words.

"Oh, hey Noelle! Are you here to buy tickets to that dance too?" the Spring Knight asked with a cheerful smile.

"Me? Oh... nah. I was just um... just passing through the Union because it's so cold outside," Noelle lied trying to give an innocent and unassuming smile.

Quinton shrugged and began to walk with her much the Autumn Knight's dismay, "Oh, well.. I guess that makes sense. Hey, if you're free do you wanna go grab some lunch in the food court? The ticket line is really long so I might as well try again later."

"Er, thanks but no thanks Quinton. I've got something I need to do here," Noelle sighed trying to think up of another excuse.

"But I thought you just said you were passing through and..."

They were suddenly cut off as Quinton stopped and pulled out his phone. As he checked the message, he looked up, "It's Kristen. We've got trouble. Fomorians on the east side of town."

Noelle mouthed a silent thank you to the sky before taking off after Quinton to respond to the newest threat.

A short time later, the two knights arrived at a park on the east side of town only to find their other three friends already locked in a fierce skirmish with Leanansidhe and a platoon of spriggans. The two knights hopped off their own faerie horses and called their armor in mid-stride, ready to wade into battle against their enemies. While Stephen shot volleys of arrows into the enemy troops and Laura fended off several more with her rapier, Connor hacked through the Fomorian rear guard and engaged Leanansidhe in combat.

"Drop your weapon Leanne! We don't have to keep doing this!" he said while trying to press his attack.

"You don't know what you're talking about Summer Knight! I am not the girl you think I am!" the young general snarled while pushing back against his sword. "But if you insist on staying committed to a fantasy, perhaps I could commit you to another cause... me!"

Connor blinked in confusion as Leanansidhe pulled out a stem of a flower with a large closed purple bud. She aimed it right at his face, "If you continue to resist, I will just have to make your heart mine."

"Connor! Look out!" Laura shouted as she rushed in and threw her shoulder into the witch to try and break up the grapple. As she did, the Winter Knight got right into the path of Leanansidhe's spell when the bulb burst open and sprayed her face with a sparkling dust. In the tangle of bodies, the witch staggered backwards while Laura reeled sideways and fell over on Connor into the snow.

"No!" Leanansidhe growled while pulling out another flower bulb from her side satchel. As she prepared to aim it again, she was stopped as a firm hand grabbed her wrist from behind and twisted it, trying to wrench the object from her hand. Leanansidhe turned to see Stephen try to wrestle her grip causing the second bulb to burst open and blind the Silver Knight in a cloud of enchanted faerie dust.

The red-headed witch gave a furious shout and stamped her foot on the ground, "No! You idiots! You stupid knights are ruining everything!"

With that, she whipped around her green gown and retreated from the battlefield in a jet of green smoke.

Once the witch and her spriggan bodyguards were gone, the knights all dispelled their armor while Quinton and Noelle hurried over to help their dazed friends. The Spring Knight pulled Laura back up to her feet as Connor got up next and steadied her. "Hey, thanks for the save back there Laura. Are you okay?"

Laura wiped some of the faerie dust from her eyes and blinked a few times before giving an unusually bright smile, "I've never felt better Connor. Thank you for your concern."

The Summer Knight raised his eyebrow slightly, "Right... Noelle? How is Stephen doing over there?"

Several feet away, Noelle had helped Stephen rise but shied away slightly as the Silver Knight stepped forward still gripping her hand, "Noelle... I had never noticed how soft and gentle your hands were. Please, don't be scared. I just wanted to hold them and..."

He was immediately pushed aside as Quinton stepped in with a mild frown, "Okay break it up. What's gotten into you Stephen? You're kinda acting like a weirdo now."

Noelle glanced over to Connor for answers but the Summer Knight suddenly found himself being pulled aside by Laura who hugged his arm and gave a playful giggle, "Oh, forget about them Connor. Everyone's suddenly getting so serious and uptight. Let's go do something more fun... just you and I, hmm?"

Connor swallowed hard and broke free of her grip for a moment, "I... huh? What the hell is going on here? Is everyone suddenly losing their minds or something?"

Stephen immediately began prostrating himself on the snowy ground and started hugging Noelle's ankles, "Oh no! Please forgive me my dear Noelle! I didn't mean to scare you or upset you. I just wanted to give you a nice compliment and make you happy."

The Autumn Knight blinked in bewildered shock and looked to her other friends helplessly, "Uh... guys? Help?"

Quinton again walked over and pulled Stephen away, "You know what? I think we'd better go see Kristen. I have a feeling that magic flower pollen Leanansidhe was carrying did something to Laura and Stephen. Remember how she was talking about making us commit to her?"

"Well... let's not waste any time," Connor nodded in agreement, "Whatever happened, we've got to figure it out and come up with a way to reverse the spell."

He was halted as Laura suddenly threw her arms around the trunk of his body. She clung to him tightly while desperately pleading, "Oh darling... wherever you're going to go, take me with you. Please... don't leave me? I couldn't bear the thought of being separated."

Connor shook off the surprise and suppressed his own gag reflex, "Oh... okay... I promise."

By now, Noelle gave a mild frown of disapproval before marching past them hooking her arm around Laura's and dragging the Winter Knight away down the street, "All right. Come along then Laura. Time's a wasting."

"Wait for me Noelle! I..." Stephen called before he was forcefully grabbed by Connor and Quinton then escorted down the street after the girls.

* * *

Some time later, the five young people convened back in the antique shop where Kristen had temporarily closed the store for the lunch hour. After relating the events of the last skirmish with Leanansidhe, Connor, Noelle, and Laura sat while Kristen thought it over.

"Hmm… that story does sound very odd," their mentor mused while she examined the samples of residual faerie powder from Laura and Stephen's clothes.

"No. The odd thing is the way that Laura and Stephen are acting," Noelle said while she watched Laura go off in the corner to apply some lipstick in a mirror, "They've been behaving more like annoying lovesick puppies."

The Druid nodded and ambled over to a workbench beginning to assemble some pans, potions and bottles of other strange liquids, "My guess is that it has to be some sort of charm spell but I'll have to experiment and run some more tests to figure out what we're dealing with. Then I've got to figure out how to reverse it."

"You really think you can figure that out?" Noelle asked hopefully.

Kristen looked up and gave a confident wink, "Sure! We Druids are experts when it comes to magic herbs and concoctions, remember?"

"Well… the sooner the better. It's making things a little weird for all of us," Connor complained from where he sat on a small couch before he felt two hands reach over and begin massaging his neck from behind.

"Connor dear... you look so stressed," Laura cooed gently, "Just relax. Let me help you loosen up some, hmm?"

Noelle rolled her eyes before the shop door burst open and Stephen marched in with Quinton straggling behind trying to keep a leash on him. They had been across the street running an "errand" and Stephen strode up presenting a small bouquet of mixed flowers for the Autumn Knight, "Noelle my dear, a colorful batch of unique flowers to match your wonderfully unique eyes."

Noelle forced a gracious smile and accepted the flowers, "Thank you Stephen. That's very thoughtful… um, do you think you can do something else for me?"

"I'll do anything you ask me to!"

Noelle thought of a way to get rid of him for a little while and gestured to the rear rooms of the shop, "Do you mind going in back to boil some water and make tea for everyone? It's cold out and we could all use something warm to drink."

"Right away!" the Silver Knight said gallantly while rushing off to carry out the task.

"Sorry Noelle. I tried to stop him, but he was acting like a total lunatic," Quinton sighed while taking the flowers. He walked over to the counter to put the bouquet in a vase only to see the two little gargoyles Scratch and Yum-Yum digging through Laura's purse. Quinton sighed and shook his head at the sight of Scratch toying with a small pocket mirror while Yum-Yum gnawed at a tube of Laura's lipstick thinking it was some kind of food.

While the Spring Knight walked over and tried to shoo the gargoyles away from Laura's things, Connor tried to sit up from his chair and escape from Laura, "Kristen, you look like you could use a hand over there. Mind if I help you?"

Laura clamped down firmly and kept Connor in place before plopping herself down on his lap and slinging her arms around his neck. "You've been running around in circles since the Fomorian attack this morning and now you want to work some more? Remember what I said about getting stressed?"

"Hey Laura, too close. Personal boundaries… remember?" Connor yelped meekly.

"Oh Connor, you really are being a bit of a prude now," she giggled while she started to cover his entire face in affectionate kisses, "But playing hard to get… I actually think it's kind of a turn on."

"Well I actually think you're freaking me out right now," the red faced Summer Knight protested as he tried in vain to pry her off and prevent her from kissing him on the lips.

"And I think I'm actually feeling a little nauseous too," Noelle added with a sour expression and another grumble of displeasure.

She took a breath, then decided to take temporary command of the team, "Okay… I'm going to go out on patrol to see if I can't lure Leanansidhe out and get her to talk. She's gotta be able to give us more clues about this enchantment. Quinton, you're with me."

"Wait… what about me?" Connor pleaded as he tried to sit up from the couch before being pulled down by Laura again. "What am I supposed to do?"

Kristen continued to work with the potions and magic ingredients without looking up, "I guess you can stay and keep Laura and Stephen occupied. As long as they're stuck acting like love struck little schoolgirls, they're not going to be much good on the battlefield."

"I think I'd rather lock swords with Balor himself right now," the Summer Knight sighed in dismay.

Laura giggled and continued to snuggle closer to him, "Oh Connor, you're such a kidder."

"Oh for God's sake… let's get a move on already Quinton!" Noelle snapped as she gave the Spring Knight a stern look and headed for the door.

Quinton met his roommate's pleading gaze with an apologetic shrug and headed out the door after Noelle. No sooner had the shop's front door closed was when Stephen marched out from the back rooms looking very pleased with himself and addressing the half-empty shop, "Everyone… tea is served!"

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Chapter title: the male and female versions of saying "My Darling" in French.**


	24. Lovers' Quarrels

**Episode 12: Part 2  
**

A few days passed and the Fomorians had not shown themselves despite the efforts of Noelle and Quinton to patrol the town when they weren't in class. As they walked back into the antique shop at the end of another afternoon patrol, they found Connor at work keeping a low profile as Stephen paced around waiting while Kristen rummaged around the backrooms.

"Oh, you're finally back!" Stephen smiled as he walked over to help take Noelle's coat and hang it on the coat rack, "I was waiting around hoping I'd find you here because I missed you."

Stephen leaned forward to try and kiss Noelle on the cheek but the Autumn Knight was too fast and scooped up the gargoyle Yum-Yum as he passed by. She raised the gargoyle up just in time for Stephen to kiss the creature in the face instead. The little gargoyle squawked in annoyance and pinched Stephen's nose before jumping out of Noelle's arms. He continued to scurry away with an angry Stephen in pursuit while Quinton walked over to greet his roommate.

Connor sat at a corner table polishing some of the antiques all while nervously glancing at the door and windows. Quinton crossed his arms, "Connor, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you're hiding here from Laura."

"You bet I am," he replied, "She got kinda upset at me the other day when I kept insisting she's just not my type of girl."

Noelle raised an eyebrow in sudden curiosity, "Oh really? And what exactly is your type?"

Before anyone else could speak, the door flew open and Laura stepped in... except she looked a little different now. Everyone stared in complete shock as she sported a blue beret on her head, brunette hair tied in a braid and a blue tartan plaid blouse. The Winter Knight spotted Connor and marched over with a proud grin, "Oh there you are! I've been looking all over for you! I decided to try a new style. What do you think?"

Connor remained slack jawed in shock and fear at the new brunette girl before he was pushed aside by an outraged Autumn Knight. A dark frown spread over Noelle's face as she gritted her teeth, "Laura! I can't believe you! You're stealing my look now too?"

The Winter Knight shrugged and took off the blue winter beret too, "Well… I suppose you're right. The beret is a bit much, isn't it?"

"Wait... what else did she steal?" Connor asked in confusion while Quinton restrained Noelle by the shoulders to keep her from throttling Laura.

He turned to their mentor as she entered the room, "Uh, Kristen? Have you made any headway with the magic stuff yet?"

The Druid dusted off the sleeves of her blazer and leaned on the counter, "Well... yes and no. I did manage to figure out the makeup of Leanansidhe's magic flower dust. It was a charm spell that the fey often use when they want to improve the mood or attitudes toward another person. The only problem is that it has a slightly different effect on us humans. Simply put, it works like a powerful love spell on us."

"Why would that witch be making charm spells in the first place?" Noelle asked curiously.

Kristen shrugged, "Who knows? Maybe she's trying to manipulate someone, or maybe to keep Balor from running her up the flagpole after her most recent defeat."

"Well… what do we do about this spell?" Quinton asked.

Kristen paced around the room thoughtfully, "I was able to figure out the primary ingredient in the dust, Viola Tricolor… also called love-in-idleness."

The two knights stood quietly and looked back in blank confusion causing their Druid mentor to huff, "Remember? From A Midsummernight's Dream? Shakespeare?"

The Knights grimaced and shrugged again as Kristen sighed, "Read a book people! In the story, the flowers were used by the faeries to make a sort of love charm. When you sprinkle some over the eyes of the victim, they'll fall in love with the first person they see."

"Okay… so it works like Cupid's arrow," Noelle nodded, "How do we reverse it then?"

Kristen grinned, "I came up with an antidote made from some bitter roots and the fungus I had asked Quinton and Laura to gather for me a few months ago."

"Awesome! Let's bust it out and fix this whole mess," Quinton cheered until Kristen shook her head apologetically.

"Unfortunately, my last batch was accidentally ruined by the gargoyles so we've got to wait a little while before the new batch finishes boiling. Until then, we're going to be stuck just trying to manage the chaos."

At that moment, the shop phone rang and Kristen quickly picked it up, "I'm here... what? You're kidding! All right. I'll let them know."

The Druid hung up and looked to Noelle and Quinton, "That was Mr. O'Doyle... Leanansidhe is back with more Fomorians. They're headed toward the heart of campus. She may be meaning to draw you guys out into a fight."

"Then let's oblige her," Noelle said as she moved to take the lead again, "Come on Quinton!"

"Wait! I'm coming with you," Connor called as he moved toward the door.

The Autumn Knight gently touched his arm to stop him while shaking her head, "No Connor. We're going to need you here to keep Laura and Stephen out of trouble. Can you do that for me?"

Connor grimaced and gave a conflicted sigh while seeing his other friends out the door. He hated the fact that it was all he could do at the moment.

* * *

A short time later, Noelle and Quinton found Leanansidhe and some of her Fomorian allies advancing onto the main quad of the college while terrified students scattered in terror. Alongside the general was a platoon of spriggan foot soldiers along with a burly looking fey monster. The Fomorian was a shaggy bipedal monster with features resembling some kind of canine or winter wolf. It snarled and slobbered from its sharp jaws while giving a growl at the new enemies who now stood in the way.

"Seems like you've been spreading a lot of love around campus Leanansidhe. I didn't know you'd be bringing all your boyfriends along," Noelle taunted as she called her armor and drew her sword.

The witch suppressed her scowl before giving a little smirk and producing one last flower bud wand that she had used on the others, "Only two of you this time. It's hardly going to be a fair fight. This improved flower bud here will be enough to pacify the two of you and after that, the rest of the valley starting with this school."

"We're not going to let that happen!" Noelle called as she charged forward and mowed down the spriggans with Quinton. Once she had broken through, she began to clash with Leanansidhe while Quinton did his best to hold off the other Fomorian brute. Unfortunately, the brute was too strong, easily overpowering Quinton and shoving him aside.

Noelle could only gasp in fear while she suddenly found herself double-teamed between Leanansidhe and the other Fomorian. Before the wolf-like bruiser could pounce on her, it was blown back with a fiery sword slash of elemental energy. Noelle stopped and glanced over to see the Summer Knight had arrived and stood ready to defend her with his blazing sword. "Connor? What are you doing here?"

"Sorry Noelle, I had a feeling you guys would need help," he said with a wink. "I couldn't take that chance."

While the wounded Fomorian beast lay stunned on the ground, Leanansidhe gave a furious cry as a silvery arrow bolt struck the ground beside her and threw her away to the icy turf. To everyone's surprise, both Laura and Stephen had joined the fight, fully girded for battle.

The Winter Knight stomped over and drew her rapier, "I can't believe you Connor! You ran out and left me in town... just because poor dear little Noelle might be in trouble?"

"Laura... take it easy," Connor pleaded, "You're not thinking clearly."

She shook her head, "No. I can see you're the one who's confused. She's obviously leading you on."

" _Mon dieu!_ (My God!) Laura, are you nuts?" Noelle exclaimed in frustration, "He's allowed to think for himself you know."

"And you! I knew it! You were just jealous and you're trying to steal my man!" Laura fumed as she turned her rapier on Noelle, "Listen here you little French froggie. You'd better back off right now or else."

"Oh that's it! I've had it with you," Noelle growled as she raised her sword too, "You want to start the next Hundred Years War? Remember who won that one?"

"Except this will just be Agincourt for you all over again!" Laura retorted, "En garde!"

Stephen swiftly pulled his own short sword and moved toward Laura as the two girl began to clash, "Hey Laura! How dare you attack Noelle!"

He was halted as Connor reluctantly barred his path with his own sword drawn, "Don't do it Stephen. You're just going to make things worse."

"Easy for you to say! It seems Noelle's the one who cares more about your feelings than mine," the Silver Knight cried, "If I have to defeat you in combat to win her love then that's what I'm going to do!"

"Are you insane? What are you talking about?" Connor gasped in panic as he raised his guard and blocked a sword blow from Stephen. Upon seeing the two boys now engaged in combat, the girls turned around and the fight devolved into a seemingly chaotic four-way melee.

"What in the name of Daghda?" Leanansidhe muttered incredulously watching the four knights begin to fight amongst themselves in a battle royale, attacking and defending each other all at the same time.

Quinton could only shake his head nearby, "I have no idea what's going on here anymore."

After a brief pause, the Spring Knight and Fomorian general looked at each other and remembered they were also enemies before clashing again. While Quinton fended the witch off, Connor wove through the allied melee and pushed aside Laura before parrying away a blow from Stephen and reflexively turning his sword to threaten the next combatant beside him. He halted his slash as he met the annoyed glare of Noelle.

"Connor! I'm on your side! What are you doing?"

"I don't know!" he indignantly cried, "Everyone here's either trying to make out with me or kill me and I don't know which is which anymore!"

"I won't kill you love," Laura called before trying to thrust at Noelle, "But I'll try to kill her."

The Summer Knight blocked the rapier and gripped Laura's arm, "Hey! Nobody is getting killed today."

"Except for you!" Stephen shouted as he barreled into Connor from behind and knocked the others over. Noelle simply stood off to the side shaking her head with a sigh at the utter mayhem while Connor, Laura, and Stephen tumbled on the ground and became locked in three-way grapple.

Meanwhile, Quinton broke free of his close quarters melee with Leanansidhe and tumbled under a blow from the now recovered Fomorian winter wolf beast. Upon regaining his balance, Quinton pulled out the charm spell flower bud that he had pick-pocketed from Leanansidhe in the confusion. "Missing something?"

"You! Give that back!" the fey sorceress called while Quinton maneuvered past the other Fomorian brute again.

As she turned her attention back to the real fight, Noelle readied her blade as the Spring Knight planted the last flower bud on the Fomorian bruiser, "Noelle! Aim for the flower!"

The Spring Knight dove away as Noelle hurled her whirling blade at the monster. In a flash of orange light, the blade struck the dark flower bud and caused it to explode into a cloud of extra strength faerie dust all over the Fomorian wolf beast.

As the monster staggered, Leanansidhe watched in horror as it looked up to see her and began to approach with open outstretched arms.

"No you mangey fleabag! What do you think you're doing? Get away from me!" the witch shouted in alarm.

Noelle and Quinton exchanged a grin as they watched Leanansidhe trying to dodge the lovestruck monster and swing her own sword to try and ward it off. To her dismay, the beast shrugged it off and gave her a big hug, knocking her over. Leanansidhe snarled again as the wolf beast pinned her down and continued licking her face.

"You're going to pay for this humiliation knights!" the witch shouted before she retreated from the battlefield in a jet of green smoke which also carried the charmed Fomorian minion along too.

As Leanansidhe escaped, Kristen rushed out onto the snowy quad, panting and huffing having rushed to the battle with a large bottle of her freshly brewed antidote. "Sorry everyone... I came as fast as I could, but it's finally ready."

Noelle eyed the three remaining knights who were still scuffling on the ground before turning to their mentor, "You couldn't have picked a better moment. Have at it Kristen."

The Druid called her staff and levitated the bottle of dark orange liquid over the three squabbling knights. Kristen gave her staff a wave and the bottle poured over the three, dousing them in the magic liquid. Quinton and Noelle watched as the antidote went to work while also dispelling the armor of the Summer, Winter, and Silver Knights.

As Kristen's antidote neutralized the effects of the charm spell, Connor rolled over and helped the Winter Knight sit up. Again, he rested his hands on her shoulders to steady her as she shook off the effects and rubbed her eyes, "Hey Laura… are you okay? How do you feel?"

Laura blinked a few more times before looking at him in horror… realization setting in over all the things she had said and done over the past few days. She reared back and punched him directly in the chin laying the Summer Knight flat out on his back in the snow. "Don't touch me you... you dog!"

"Yup… I think Laura's back," Quinton chuckled while Connor lay flat on the snow with a groan.

"Oww… this just isn't my week…"

Nearby, Kristen helped Stephen up and he rubbed his eyes before turning to Noelle with embarrassment. He sheepishly bowed his head and tried to avoid her eyes, "Noelle… I am so sorry about all this. I honestly don't know what came over me these past few days. Please, please, please forgive me."

The Autumn Knight chuckled and patted his arm, "Seriously... don't sweat it Stephen. You were under a spell from Leanansidhe. I know you weren't thinking clearly."

Stephen gave a relieved sigh and nodded, "Thanks. That makes me feel a lot better."

From where they stood, Kristen glanced over and saw Laura ranting and fretting over her new brown hair while wiping her lips as Quinton did his best to try and restrain her and calm her down.

"Let's go back to the shop," Kristen laughed in amusement, "With all the love spells and teenage hormones flying around, I think we could all use another chance to sit down and cool off."

* * *

Later that day, everyone gathered at the shop to regroup and cool down after what was arguably the most humiliating battle any one of them had ever fought. While Stephen helped Kristen make some coffee, Noelle and Quinton sat off in a corner chatting while Laura sat by the warm fireplace running a brush through her hair. Kristen had offered her a bottle of magic fairy-hues solution to restore the original color of her gold hair. She wore a sour face and glanced over as Connor came to sit down nearby her. He gave a sigh and removed the icepack that he was holding, revealing a bruise on his chin where Laura had punched him.

"Hey," he said, "You doing alright?"

"I'm fine," she mumbled as she continued to recolor her hair.

The Summer Knight paused and tried to give a cheerful smile, "It's nice to see your hair getting back to normal."

Laura exhaled in exasperation but remained silent. Another long silence passed before Connor sighed, "Listen Laura, are you going to be like this for the rest of the day now?"

"Connor… I… just go away! I don't want to talk to you or to anybody about what happened," Laura said irritably while turning away.

He shook his head and sat back in his chair, "We're still friends and teammates. Eventually we're going to have to look each other in the eye and talk at some point."

Laura squirmed and covered her face in her hands, "It's so humiliating. I can't believe I was acting like that. I'm so embarrassed."

"Well… if it makes you feel any better, I still feel pretty awkward too," Connor shrugged.

After a long pause he put a hand on her shoulder and tried to give a reassuring smile, "But... you really shouldn't feel bad though. You were under the effects of Lenanasidhe's charm spell so it wasn't your fault and I think everyone here knows that."

"You think so? Do you really mean that?"

Connor nodded, "Yeah, I do. But in fairness, I really don't blame you for the way you acted. I totally get it."

Laura frowned in confusion, "Get what?"

The Summer Knight tried to lighten the mood and laughed, "I already know I'm charming and devastatingly handsome. I couldn't blame any girl for falling madly in love with me."

Laura groaned and punched him again in the shoulder as he laughed some more. After the laughter died down she turned back to him and gave a quiet nod, "For what it's worth, I do want to thank you... for not taking advantage of the situation. And I'm sorry too… about punching you in the face earlier."

Connor gave a warm smile and simply nodded as he looked back into the fire, "Don't sweat it. I guess that makes us even now."

At the other end of the shop, Quinton finished cleaning up Kristen's workbench with Yum-Yum's help while Noelle sat in a nearby chair holding Scratch who was curled up on her lap. She gave tired yawn and smiled, "Well Quinton, I don't know about you, but I'm just glad everything is finally back to normal around here."

"Me too," the Spring Knight said as he put some of the mixing beakers in a cabinet, "Though you have to admit… you did a pretty good job taking charge of the team. It was a surprise to see you so determined and fierce back there."

Noelle gave a self effacing shrug and scratched the ears of the little gargoyle she was holding, "Oh, well… I just had a lot of motivation."

Quinton tilted his head in mild curiosity before Noelle waved him off and decided to try and change the subject back toward him, "Speaking of motivation, did you ever manage to pick up those tickets for the dance and concert tomorrow?"

"Nah," Quinton sighed, "With all the craziness going on with the others, I never got a chance. Besides, I think the others have had their fill of love spells and romance for a while, don't you think?"

Noelle shrugged, "Still... I know you were kinda looking forward to that. I hope you're not too disappointed."

"It's okay," Quinton said as he put a friendly hand on her shoulder, "Maybe we'll have better luck next time, right?"

Noelle glanced over toward Connor who was busy trying to cheer Laura up with a joke before giving a small smile to herself, "Yeah… maybe next time."

That was when she suddenly sat up and looked at Quinton with wide eyes, "Wait… what did you mean by we?"

Quinton gave a knowing smile and picked up Yum-Yum from the workbench before starting to walk off, "Come on buddy, I think I've still got some granola bars in my bookbag. You want one?"

"Quinton, wait! It's not like that. You've got it all wrong!" she called in exasperation while hurrying after him.

"Not to worry Noelle. Your secret is safe with me," the Spring Knight laughed again as they walked by Kristen and Stephen while they carried in some fresh mugs of hot coffee for everyone.

As they passed Stephen could only shake his head toward their mentor, "They keep walking out whenever we serve drinks. You'd almost think they were just trying to get rid of us."

Kristen simply smiled and took a silent sip of coffee. After all the chaos that had just transpired those last few days, she honestly didn't mind being left out of the loop. With it came some peace, quiet, and order that she hoped would last... at least until the next monster attack.


	25. Little Green Men

**Episode 13: Part 1  
**

A dim light flicked on and the heavy door opened as Eliza McConnel strode into the basement of Noble Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. From the other room upstairs, one of her fellow female classmates on the festival committee called down, "There are a couple of boxes filled with decorations down there! I'm sure you'll be able to find it!"

Eliza gave a sigh and began rummaging through some of the boxes in the large dark storage room. It's not that she was afraid, but she preferred to get a move on. The committee chair who was in charge of organizing the St. Patrick's Day Festival for the college had been dragging her feet and everyone was now in a rush to finish decorating, organizing events, and lining up entertainment for the festivities in a few days.

Eliza wanted to be able to enjoy the holiday and partake in the activities. After all, she'd be a pretty lousy Irish-American if she didn't. As she pushed aside a few boxes, she stopped and looked down in the dim light. She saw an old looking stone which was about as large and heavy as a brick. It sported a green gemstone and was covered in old runic markings.

"Whoah... what is this thing?" she asked as she picked it up and examined it. The moment she dusted it off with her hand, she froze in terror as the gem began to glow and the stone itself vibrated. In a flash, Eliza dropped the stone and fell over backward, stumbling and trying to head for the stairwell.

She froze again as she spotted a quick shadowy movement around her followed by a chilling laugh. The laugh was not so much deep and menacing, but rather sounded like that of a squeaky diminutive creature.

"Who... who's there? Who are you?" Eliza called out trying to swallow her fear as she looked around the dim light of the room.

"Ah, a daughter of Erinn, is it?" came the little voice with a malevolent Irish lilting accent, "I promise ye have nuttin' to fear if ye answer me but one simple question... where is it?"

Eliza trembled in fear as she turned to see a small looking midget with reddish hair carrying a little cane while dressed in green. It was so absurd... the being looked just like some sort of leprechaun, except for it's sharp demonic looking features. His eyes glowed and his face contorted into a cruel but mischievous smirk.

"What are you? What are you talking about?" Eliza asked as she recoiled away.

The sinister leprechaun stepped forward slowly and made a tsk tsk sound, "Playin' games now are we? Not a smart thing to do lass. I gave you a chance but since you were the one who freed me, I'll let you off easy. Just hope I won't have to get nasty with anyone else now."

The creature raised his little cane and a jet of green light erupted from the end, blinding Eliza before she could even scream for help.

* * *

Across the campus at their usual hangout, the five knights stood around a table in O'Doyle's Pub tossing ping pong balls at plastic cups lining the opposite ends of the table. At one end of the table, Connor and Noelle gave a cheer and exchanged a high five as he sunk another ball in the cup of the opposing team winning the second game. At the opposite end of the table, Laura sighed as Quinton removed the last cup with a groan, "Geez, it's a good thing this is just practice with soda pop right now. If we were playing beer-pong for real, I'd probably be drunk right now."

"Maybe you've just got a lousy teammate," Noelle laughed poking fun at her fellow female knight. "And maybe she'd be more help if she actually drank beer."

The Winter Knight crossed her arms, "Honestly, I have no idea why you all insist on playing this silly game... especially considering the point is getting inebriated. Besides, beer is gross and all of us are still technically underage."

"Oh relax Laura, this is college and all in good fun," Connor said with a wink, "Once we're done with the school sponsored St. Patty's Day events, it'll be fine when we go to that house party Eliza invited us to. We'll just play a little beer-pong, relax, and hang out. As long as none of us puke on the floor or do anything stupid to get the cops called, then it'll be okay."

Stephen, Laura's fellow freshman stood off to the side. He had been spectating before giving a shrug, "Well, I'm with Laura on this one. I think it's all kinda stupid too."

Noelle gave him a gentle poke in the shoulder, "Come on Stephen, lighten up. This will be a good chance for you to socialize with more people at school. It's gonna be fun. Where's your holiday spirit?"

Noelle's right," Connor said with a cheerful smile, "I'll be honest. St. Patty's Day is actually one of my favorite holidays. There's lots of great stuff like corned beef, potatoes, parades, great music and dancing. It just makes you proud to be Irish."

Laura gave a haughty laugh while teasing back gently, "Ah yes… proud to be drunk and disorderly hooligans that refuse to be like the rest of us civilized British people."

Connor rolled his eyes at the jab while Noelle egged the Spring Knight on, "Come on Quinton, the game's over but you've still got one last shot."

Quinton narrowed his eyes and tossed his ping pong ball but it rolled along the rim of the cup and bounced out. Stephen shrugged his shoulders and clapped his comrade on the arm, "Sorry Quinton, looks like a bit of bad luck today."

"Oh don't be silly," Quinton said while waving it off, "I don't believe in jinxes or bad luck."

"Well, maybe take this just in case," Connor laughed as he walked over to the bar counter and handed his roommate a drink coaster shaped like a four leaf clover.

"Ha ha. Very funny," Quinton sighed as he gently elbowed the Summer Knight in the ribs.

The banter of the five friends was cut short as they saw Eliza enter the pub in a bit of a panic. She looked around and hurried over to the knights when she spotted them.

"Hey Eliza… what's up? Is everything okay?" Noelle asked.

Eliza shook her head and grabbed Quinton's sleeves before gesturing to her throat and trying to speak, except she couldn't. She struggled several times to try speaking before taking the clover coaster and pantomiming a little jig while indicating something small.

"Eliza… what's wrong? Did something weird happen?" Connor asked in growing concern for his friend.

"Maybe she just started celebrating early with a couple shots of whiskey?" Laura sniggered.

Eliza frowned and smacked Laura on the forehead with the coaster before fumbling for a pen and napkin at the bar counter. Everyone watched as she scribbled several words on the napkin and showed it to them. The words read, "Help! Evil leprechaun loose. Cursing campus. No joke!"

"Wait, some new monster cursed you and turned you mute?" Laura asked in shock.

Eliza nodded and scribbled a few more words, "Can't sing or perform either."

The others looked to one another with uncertainty as the pub owner Mr. O'Doyle stopped cleaning some glasses nearby. The older Druid pulled Connor aside to whisper a few things in his ear before getting back to work. Connor nodded and hurried over to his friends, "Everyone… we've got to get going, and uh… run an errand for Mr. O'Doyle. Eliza, you stay here. We'll be back to help you as soon as possible. We promise."

Eliza could only plop down on a barstool and give a worried look as she saw her other friends hurry off and leave the pub. If they weren't careful, they might get cursed by that same horrible little creature. She could only hope that they wouldn't suffer the same fate, or worse.

* * *

From atop the steeple roof of the town's small colonial style courthouse, the leprechaun that Eliza had freed cackled in sadistic glee as he watched the civilians below flee in panic. With the wave of his magic stick, he had animated a mailbox to attack people on the street while he cursed a few other civilians into acting like barnyard animals. "Ah what fools these mortals be. Tis the price ye pay for testin' me patience."

As he lazed about the rooftop watching the mayhem, the malicious faerie felt a gust of wind and stopped as a bright silver arrow whizzed by, just missing him. The little creature frowned and peered down to see five armored knights swiftly arrive armed with fey weapons while riding faerie horses.

"There he is!" Laura shouted as she pointed up above, "Who are you? Get down from there!"

The leprechaun grinned and the moment the five knights blinked, the little faerie man dressed in green was standing on the sidewalk at the steps of the courthouse. He leaned on his cane and gave a grin while tipping his hat, "Tuathan Knights… top o the mornin, lords and ladies. Tis a while since I've seen the likes of you."

"No way… Stephen said as he fumbled to ready another arrow shot from his silver bow, "Is that really a leprechaun?"

"Plain as daylight young master," the creature said as he idly pulled out a smoking pipe from his pocket, "The name is Patches McGillicutty. Now... out of respect for the Four Courts, I'm not intending to cause ye any personal trouble or start any quarrels."

Quinton frowned and shook his head, "You could have fooled us. Why are you terrorizing these innocent people?"

"Innocent?" the leprechaun exclaimed indignantly, "I'm just trying to take back what I'm due. Tis the townsfolk… the thieves and liars who are standin' in me way of what I'm lookin' for. I'm a fair and sportin' sort so I give ye the benefit of a warnin'. You knights stay outta me way. I'm not to be trifled with."

"Is that so?" Quinton answered with a streak of rising defiance, "Because I just so happen to be feeling pretty lucky today."

The leprechaun snorted in amusement as he leveled his cane on the Spring Knight, "Ah, but ye just made a big mistake there bucko. Let's see if you can put yer money where yer mouth is."

Before Quinton could move, the leprechaun fired a green bolt of energy at him that seemed to harmlessly dissipate into a puff when it struck the Spring Knight's armor. Everyone stopped a moment in confusion before the leprechaun gave a mischievous wave and blew a large thick cloud of magical smoke from his pipe. The five knights sputtered and coughed in the blinding fog until Noelle blew it away with a small burst of elemental wind energy.

"Damn! He got away," Stephen grumbled as he looked around and spied several of the cursed townsfolk still acting like farm animals. "What do think that was all about?"

Connor shrugged, "No idea. We should try to get some help for these people, but Quinton... are you feeling okay?"

The Spring Knight nodded, "Yeah. I feel fine. Whatever that Patches McGillicutty creep shot from his cane didn't hurt me a bit. I guess that was pretty lucky, huh?"

Quinton began to step forward but he tripped on an uneven bend in the pavement and fell face first to the ground. Noelle shook her head and helped him up, "If you say so. I think we should go see Kristen about this if we want to try and help the cursed townspeople and Eliza too."

* * *

Later that afternoon, everyone met back at Kristen's antique shop just as she closed her business for the day. After relating the story to her, the young Druid thought it over while she continued to decorate the interior of her shop with festive green bunting on the walls and some shamrocks hanging from the ceiling. "Patches McGillicutty... can't say I've ever heard of him."

"Well whoever he was, he was bad news," Stephen insisted, "He honestly looked like some kind of demonic leprechaun straight out of that old cheesy horror film."

"I do find it a bit odd and troubling," Kristen admitted while she worked, "I can't say I've come across many leprechauns during my apprentice days, but for the most part they tend to be pretty benign, and mischievous at the very worst. They're Spring Court faeries and it's very rare for them to act maliciously."

"Well this guy seemed like he meant business," Noelle insisted, "I don't think he was working with Balor and the Fomorians, but he seemed pretty hell bent on finding something because he told us not to get in the way. What do you think he had lost to make him act so crazy?"

"Maybe somebody stole his Lucky Charms?" Connor quipped while earning a puzzled look from the Winter Knight.

Stephen put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head, "Never mind. I'll explain the joke later."

Connor continued, "The thing I'm a little more concerned about is what exactly Hornswoggle did to Quinton, or maybe what he tried to do."

At that moment, Quinton walked in with some fresh hot tea and cookies, setting it down on the counter. The Spring Knight rolled his eyes and sighed, "Will you relax? I told you nothing happened. I feel fine and everything is great."

As Quinton reached for a cookie from the tray, he stopped as the little gargoyle Yum-Yum suddenly popped up from behind the counter and snatched his snack away. Quinton gave a reproving frown to the little creature making Yum-Yum retreat before he poured some tea in a cup.

"Like I said... everything is fine," Quinton insisted but he stopped abruptly as the cup broke away from the handle and fell to the floor. As the cup shattered, the hot tea spilled all over Quinton's shoes making him jump in pain then worry about his sneakers getting ruined.

"Are you sure about that?" Laura asked while skeptically crossing her arms, "I'd almost say that leprechaun might have jinxed you with some kind of bad luck spell."

"Will you guys stop being crazy? There is no such thing as bad luck!" Quinton insisted as he firmly put his hand on the counter. To his shock, he accidentally hit a teaspoon he had set out and it went flying across the room. The spinning teaspoon glanced off a nearby vase and caused it to tip off its display. Everyone watched in horror as the vase wobbled precariously before the shop's other little pet gargoyle Scratch leapt up and caught the vase before it could fall.

No sooner had they breathed sighs of relief was when they all turned and looked directly at Quinton wearing frowns. The Spring Knight sheepishly cringed and tried to wave it off, "Now that was just an accident. It could've happened to anybody."

Kristen shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Okay... I'm going to give Mr. O'Doyle a call. He's the elder Druid around here so he might know what's going on. In the mean time, I want the rest of you to be on the lookout for that leprechaun, and Quinton?

He looked up in surprise and met his mentor's scrutiny, "Please just try not to kill anybody before then, okay?"

* * *

That evening, the leprechaun named Patches camped out in the cold dark forests just outside the limits of Somerset Valley. Like most other fey, he didn't care much for the modern technology and industrial creations of the mortals one bit so he decided to stay closer to the trees and the feel of soil beneath him.

In the darkness of the evening, he poked at his little campfire before he looked up to the nearby trees and noticed the black raven that had been following him for the better part of the day now. He rose from his campfire and idly took a drag on his pipe before speaking, "Ye best shove off ye big black buzzard. Ye think I haven't noticed the way ye've been followin' me about the town? I'd almost think ye were spyin' on me."

"That's because he was," came the voice of the Fomorian sorceress Leanansidhe as she stepped out of the shadows and calmly approached the little campsite. She extended a hand and Lord Balor's pet messenger raven fluttered down from the tree before resting on her forearm.

"Well, what have we here? Hello pretty lassie," Patches grinned. "And who might you be?"

Leanansidhe kept her cool composure and maintained an imperious air of aloofness and subtle disdain, "I am Lady Leanansidhe, servant of the Warlord Balor and a general of the Fomorian Host."

"My my my..." Patches mused, "Tuathan Knights and now Lord Balor. It seems I've drawn all the finest crowds today."

Leanansidhe kept her neutral expression, "Lord Balor has learned you got free and wanted me to contact you. He says he can help you find what you're looking for here."

Patches eyed her suspiciously, "Lord Balor really knows where me gold is?"

"Aye. That he does," Leanansidhe smiled, "He wanted me to tell you that the people of the town have it and that they will only lie to you if you keep asking. The only way to make them give it up is if you keep up your attack."

"And what's in it for old Balor, eh?" Patches asked, "He's a bit of a grouchy old cuss and I doubt he'd be willing to help me out of the kindness of his black heart."

Leanansidhe shook her head, "There is no trick Master McGillicutty. It seems both you and he have a mutual enemy, the people of that town and the knights who defend them. If you were to cause more chaos and destruction, or perhaps even eliminate the knights... then everybody wins. You will get your gold and Balor will have his enemies destroyed."

Patches gave a snort and sat back down by his campfire, "Then so be it Faerie Lady. Now begone so I can get me shuteye. I've got a lot more trouble to cause once tomorrow rolls around again."

Leanansidhe rolled her eyes patiently before giving a gracious nod and withdrawing back into the shadows to report to her lord. After the trouble the knights had been causing, it would be rather refreshing for them to finally be on the defensive for a change.


	26. Luck o' the Irish

**Episode 13: Part 2  
**

The next day, everyone gathered in the pub to meet with the elder Druid Sean O'Doyle. He idly worked while the others sat down at the bar counter waiting for him to speak after relating their troubles. Mr. O'Doyle frowned and gave a deep sigh while wiping down a beer mug. "When I heard of a leprechaun attack the other day, I was hoping that it wouldn't be that McGillicutty character."

"Then you do know about him?" Stephen asked curiously.

O'Doyle grimaced, "I admit that I have heard about him... when I was younger, there were old stories among the Elder Druids about a leprechaun who had once gone evil and terrorized this region during the colonial days. A group of colonists who belonged to our order sealed McGillicutty in a runic stone and hid it away... not well enough it seems."

"What does he want?" Noelle asked, "Why would he still be attacking our town?"

O'Doyle put down the mug and sighed before walking over to a corner of the room, "I imagine he'd be after what most of his kind seek... gold. It was said Patches had amassed a fair fortune in gold coins that he kept in this magic pot."

He picked up a small brass urn that had been resting on a decorative display ledge. He paced back over and placed it on the counter, "After the Druids trapped the leprechaun, they used his fortune to help feed the poor and the hungry among the settlers. That's why I doubt he's going to find his gold and he'll no doubt be unhappy."

Quinton reached out to look at the urn but fumbled it a moment before Connor caught it and placed it back on the counter, "All right... so we know who he is and why he's here, but the question becomes how do we stop him?"

Kristen turned in her seat, "Leprechauns can be notoriously tricky and slippery. The trick is to try not to blink as it gives them an opening to teleport around the place."

"We can try to slow him down and hold him in place," Laura suggested, "If I can get a clean shot, I may be able to stop him with a burst of Winter Ice."

"It's worth a shot," Connor agreed, "What about Quinton? It might not be safe to take him into battle as long as he's cursed."

At that moment, a professor from the college burst into the pub huffing and puffing out of breath, "Everyone... the campus is under attack from that little green man again! We've got to take cover here!"

The knights looked to each other and quickly headed for the door. Before they left, Noelle gave Quinton a sympathetic pat on the back, "Just sit tight Quinton. We'll lift that curse on you in no time."

After the others hurried outside and began sprinting back toward the school, Quinton glumly slumped down on the counter of the bar while Kristen put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. She gave a discouraged look to the older pub owner and stopped when she saw him scratch his chin and give a small wink. "Don't worry Quinton... I think I just might be able to help you."

Kristen and Quinton exchanged a puzzled look while the older Druid stepped in the rear kitchen of the pub and began to rummage around. After several minutes, he emerged with a small clear glass potion bottle sealed with a cork. Inside was a sparkling bubbly green liquid. Mr. O'Doyle pulled off the cork and handed it to Quinton.

"Take big swig of this," the older Druid instructed him, "It's a potion that my own mentor taught me a long time ago. Not many people know of it, but I was told that it grants temporary luck and good fortune to those who drink it ."

Kristen immediately narrowed her eyes but O'Doyle quickly raised a hand to silence her.

"Wow! Do you think it'll actually work?" Quinton asked as he sat up in wonder and examined the small bottle. "Like... would it really be able to counteract that leprechaun's curse?"

Mr. O'Doyle shrugged, "No idea. Only one way to find out, right?"

Quinton took a deep breath and put the round bottle to his lips, taking a big gulp of the liquid. After he swallowed, he glanced to the older Druid and gave a hopeful look. "Well... is it working?"

O'Doyle smiled, "Why don't you toss that bottle in the air and catch it."

Quinton gave the bottle a little toss in the air and to his surprise, deftly caught it in his hands. "I'll be damned! It really does work! Thanks Mr. O'Doyle!"

The older Druid nodded as the Spring Knight gathered the magic urn and quickly hopped off the barstool, "Now, if you guys will excuse me I've got to get to the battlefield and help the others."

After Quinton left, Kristen took the bottle in awe and examined its contents. She gave the remains of the liquid a sniff and frowned, "This can't be right. Is this really a secret your master taught you? I've never heard of a good luck potion."

"That's because there isn't one," O'Doyle chuckled while wiping down a few beer glasses. "You see that green liquid? Lime soda."

Kristen stared in shock, "You made all that up and tricked him? Why?"

The older Druid smiled, "If Quinton is going into battle, he's going to need his confidence back… to know that he can fight. If he believes that magic potion will help him and spur him to act, then all the better."

Kristen frowned, "But he's still jinxed. The longer the battle goes on, there's sure to be some bad things that happen."

O'Doyle calmly wiped his bar down and maintained his serene expression, "Have a little faith Kristen. I have a feeling Quinton will turn things around in his favor without even knowing it."

* * *

Meanwhile, on the college campus Patches McGillicutty strolled down the lawns while casually smoking his pipe. He twirled his little cane and blasted the ground near some fleeing students to injure them before turning to watch a stone statue of a lion he had animated chase away more terrified coeds.

"I'm runnin' outta patience people," he said aloud in growing annoyance, "I want to know where me gold is and I want to know right now!"

A silver arrow that was fired by Stephen suddenly sliced the air and struck the stone lion, reducing it to rubble. The devilish leprechaun calmly turned and saw four armed knights approach him from the opposite end of the field. "Well now… what have we here? Come back to spoil me fun now have ye?"

"We're going to do more than that if you don't stop attacking this town," Connor called while leveling his sword on the little monster.

"Tis a shame cause it ain't happnin," Patches snorted indignantly while leaning on his cane. "Unless the four of you think you can catch me."

"Remember to keep your eyes on him," Laura said to the others, "We can't blink or it gives him an out."

"Let's get him!" Nolle called hurling her boomerang blade while Stephen fired an arrow from his bow.

Patches deftly evaded the projectiles and tumbled out of the way as Connor took a passing slash and Laura channeled some Winter Ice through her rapier to try and freeze the monster in place. Everyone watched as a burst of ice engulfed Patches and flash froze him in place. After several moments, the knights gave a sigh of relief but their victory was quickly reversed when they saw the leprechaun give a malicious grin and then wink his eye inside the ice.

The ice burst apart causing everyone to shield their eyes then panic when they saw that the leprechaun had disappeared again.

"Yoo hoo, too slow!" Patches cackled from behind Stephen as he whacked him behind the knees with his cane.

As the Silver Knight fell over in surprise, Connor tried a diving football tackle to grab Patches, but the leprechaun slipped free and caused the Summer Knight to collide with Stephen. Noelle readied her sword again and looked around, only to see the leprechaun had teleported right beside her. He swiftly hooked his cane around her ankle and tripped her to the ground. As Laura moved to try and thrust her rapier into the leprechaun, he slipped under her guard and grabbed her forearm. With surprising strength, Patches tossed her aside right on top of Noelle who was just attempting to rise back up to her feet.

Patches gave another cackle and swung his cane on the ground like a golf club, "Shouldn't of got in me way mortals! Fore!"

As he finished his swing, he blasted the four backward with a powerful cloud of faerie magic underneath them. As they lay on the ground in a stunned heap, they heard his devilish laughter "Well look at that, a hole in one. Now... perhaps the four of ye will tell me where me gold is?"

"It's gone you little creep and you're not getting back," came the loud voice of Quinton as he strode forward from the smoke to join the battle. He had armored up and drawn his weapons while approaching. "The Druids who captured you years ago took your gold to feed the poor of the colony... the same people you terrorized."

The leprechaun snarled, "Now that's a nasty lie Sir Knight. Yer gonna have to do better than tryin' to frighten me if ye want to stop me... especially given the jinx I put on ye."

"I will do better than that," Quinton said as his stunned teammates watched the exchange on the ground, "I'm gonna trap you again just like the Druids of old did."

Patches ground his teeth and became even more enraged at the Spring Knight's challenge.

"Looks like you're out of dirty tricks there boy-o," Quinton taunted with a grim smile, "It's time I put you away for good!"

Patches stopped and smirked before readying his cane, "I tried to be reasonable lad, but now I'm afraid you're gonna have to pay the piper."

The Spring Knight charged forward and took several big cuts at the faerie with his short sword and sickle. Patches danced around the slashes and cackled in glee, "You're gonna have to do better than that boy-o. You can't hit me if you can't keep your eyes on me!"

Quinton growled and swept his sword upward, calling down a forking bolt of Spring Thunder. When the lightning blast dissipated, Quinton looked around to see Patches reclining on the pavement behind him giving a yawn. The leprechaun was completely unharmed, having dodged the lightning easily. "Tis a cryin' shame! Ye couldn't hit the broadside of a barnhouse!"

Quinton glanced over and saw a nearby lamppost which had been hit with the arc lightning shudder, "Maybe not. Maybe I just need the barnhouse to hit you."

The Spring Knight drove clear as the lamp post fell right on top of the surprised leprechaun in a great crash.

Quinton rolled to his feet and readied another thunder blast from his sickle as Patches angrily shoved the post off of him. "A very lucky shot me boy, but next time you won't be so fortunate."

"Too bad… I don't believe in luck!" Quinton chuckled as he slashed his weapons and fired a searing bolt of magic at his enemy. Patches ducked the bolt and gave a sniff but didn't pay any attention as the bolt ricochet back off the large polished glass windows of one of the school buildings behind him. The glass window shattered but the lightning bolt reflected back and struck the unsuspecting leprechaun in the rump, sending Patches flying and landing headfirst into the pavement of the walkway.

Even Quinton couldn't believe his own good fortune, unaware that he was still cursed and actually using the proximity of his bad luck to defeat the leprechaun. As long as he believed he wasn't unlucky, he could keep taking the fight to the enemy.

"Oh that's it... I've had quite enough of this tomfoolery," Patches snarled as he readjusted his neck bones and glanced at the scorched rear end of his trousers. "I may be a Spring faerie, but yer not gettin' the best of me!"

The leprechaun reared back and fired another powerful jet of magic from his cane but this time Quinton was ready for him. The knight raised his sword just in time to halt the stream of magic before reaching to his side and producing the small urn that he took with him. The moment he raised the leprechaun's pot up, the urn began to absorb the magic of and sucked Patches in like a vacuum.

"No! What are ye doin' to me? With me own pot? Ye cannot do this!" the furious faerie screamed as he tugged back against the power of the urn which drew him in ever closer.

Quinton advanced while continuing to hold the pot, "Oh yes I can Patches. You could have been like the other leprechauns of Spring, but you let your own greed get the best of you. Now your own vice is going to consume you."

Patches shouted again as he was sucked into the urn, but resisted for several moments more, "This can't be! I cursed you! I cursed you with ill luck!"

Quinton took the lid and closed it firmly over the visage of Patches, "You did, but looks like your own luck just ran out."

With the small leprechaun pot sealed and secure, Quinton tossed it up high in the air before raising his sword and charging it with elemental lightning. With one great slash, he struck the pot and vaporized it completely, along with the evil leprechaun inside. As the magic dust and ashes sprinkled down, the leprechaun's curses and enchantments wore off, freeing the stricken townsfolk and students while allowing the other knights to rejoin Quinton.

"Well done Quinton! That was a brilliant show of bravery," Laura exclaimed in relief.

"Not to mention a pretty badass one-liner too," Connor laughed while patting his friend on the back.

Stephen watched the remains of the urn sprinkle down before giving a small frown and turning to Quinton. "I thought Patches had cursed you with bad luck Quinton. I'm glad you came to help, but I didn't expect you to join the battle after what Kristen had said."

The Spring Knight shrugged and gave a smile, "She and Mr. O'Doyle cooked up a good luck potion and I guess it must have worked. I have no idea how they did it, especially on such short notice. I guess we'll never know, huh?"

"This coming from the guy who didn't believe in luck?" Noelle laughed while gently teasing him.

Quinton shrugged again, "Well, whatever it was... I feel great now. Like I can take on the whole world."

"All right... easy does it there Quin," Connor said while gesturing for the others to follow him, "First thing's first. We should try to go check up on all the cursed people and make sure the spell was broken, starting with Eliza. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have her singing voice back."

Quinton gave a satisfied nod and quietly smiled to himself while following the others. It was a bit of an unusual feeling of being so confident and self assured. Whether it was the "potion" or his own sense of pride, he couldn't be sure but he knew he could certainly start getting used to this feeling.

* * *

A few days later, evening set in over Somerset Valley as the knights returned to their dormitory from the St. Patrick's Day festival and the big house party that they had been invited to. Eliza along with the other cursed students and townsfolk had been cured of their ailments and Eliza's house party had gone off without a hitch too. As Connor, Quinton, and Noelle stumbled past the front lobby of the dorm and into a nearby lounge room, Laura and Stephen moved to deposit their three elder friends on the couch where they sat in a very giddy but inebriated state.

The stone cold sober Winter and Silver Knights exchanged a bemused look while Connor, Quinton, and Noelle belted out a verse of a funny drinking song then erupted into another gale of drunken laughter. They were all wearing green colored shirts and sweaters making them look more like they had been taking fashion advice from Quinton.

"You know, after all we've been through lately I understand why they'd want to cut loose... but it's still pretty unusual seeing them like this," Stephen said as he crossed his arms and continued to watch his three comrades continue bantering on the couch.

"Yes… quite," Laura agreed with a sigh, "To be honest, I'm a little terrified right now too."

From where she sat between the boys on the couch, a very tipsy Noelle gave a giggle, "You know, today was a lot of fun but I almost forgot to do something very important."

She quickly reached up and gave Connor a kiss on the cheek making him blink in surprise, "Noelle? What was that all about?"

"It's St. Patrick's Day silly!" she giggled again, "Aren't we all supposed to kiss you today... cause you're Irish?"

"Well luckily for me, I'm Scottish so it doesn't apply," Quinton smirked.

The Autumn Knight shook her head and gave Quinton a friendly kiss on the cheek too, "Well, then that's for being a hero earlier this week and saving us from that leprechaun."

"Ah geez," Quinton said sheepishly as he blushed a little.

Laura rolled her eyes and glanced to her fellow freshman, "I think our friends are idiots."

"Well, I think our friends are passing out," Stephen chuckled as he pointed back to the knights on the couch who now put their heads back and began falling asleep while leaning against each other.

The Winter Knight watched as her three drunken sophomore friends began to fall asleep together while sitting up before shaking her head, "Well… I suppose it'll be okay if we just leave them to sober up. They won't be causing any trouble here."

"I guess… so what now?"

Laura shrugged, "Well, we could always go to that late night pizzeria on the east side of campus and grab a slice. I'm starving and I refuse to eat any corned beef and cabbage today."

Stephen nodded and made his way toward the door, "All right then. Pizza it is. Shall we?"

He held out his arm chivalrously only for Laura to walk by with a smile and give him a clap in the shoulder before heading out the door. The Silver Knight sighed and shrugged, giving his passed out friends one last nod before heading out of the room to join Laura for a late night meal.

* * *

Late that night as the last of the carousing students filtered out of the pub at closing time, Mr. O'Doyle stood wiping down the counter while Kristen sat at the empty bar nursing a tumbler of Irish whiskey. The two Druids took several long minutes enjoying the relative peace and quiet of the empty pub before the bar owner cast an uneasy glance at the calendar and cleared his throat, "You know what day is coming up, right?"

Kristen grimaced as she sloshed some of the liquor around in her glass, "I know Sean… I'm worried about it too. Has it really been seven years?"

O'Doyle frowned at the calendar on the wall and continued wiping the bar counter, "Now that the fey are much more active here, who knows what will happen? The student body will be in even greater danger and we'll have no idea what the Underworlders will be playing at either. I doubt your knights will even know how to deal with the new possible threat of demons too."

Kristen took a slow sip of her drink and nodded, "Yes… but this time, I'm going to do something about it. I called in the help from some of my old friends who live out west in Hyperion Falls, Colorado."

O'Doyle raised a curious eyebrow, "Oh? I don't suppose they know anything about actually dealing with demons and hellspawn, do they?"

Kristen looked to her fellow Druid and gave a small grim smile, "As a matter of fact… they do."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **That's right everyone, we've got another special crossover coming up next with a couple familiar faces. Why would demons and faeries now be dealing with each other you might ask? All will be explained very soon.**

 **Also, I had failed to mention before that Quinton does in fact have some Scottish ancestry. With a last name of Wallace, for all we know he could have been descended from the great Scottish warrior hero William Wallace. Regardless, I think the surname suits him just fine. :)**


	27. Angels and Demons

**Episode 14: Part 1  
**

The sounds of ringing steel echoed in the dark caverns of the Underworld as Balor swept his blade around and broke the guards of several spriggan foot soldiers he was sparring with. He lashed out and grabbed the nearest one by the neck before tossing it into the others causing them to collapse like bowling pins.

"Pathetic!" the warlord growled in agitation. He had been restless and needed to blow off steam, but these sparring sessions with his troops were not giving him any real challenge or chance to truly exert himself. He turned amid the flickering torchlights and stalked back to sit on his throne, "Enough for today. Leave me!"

The cowering spriggans bowed their heads and swiftly departed the Great Hall of the Fomorian Host. Just as the fey warlord settled into his seat and began to calm himself, he looked up in mild agitation to see two figures entering the chambers. Both of the male warriors wore heavy armor accented by bright red and orange livery. Like their clothes, their skin had a reddish tint. Their sharp sinister features and small jagged horns on their heads suggested some sort of Infernal origin. The first of the visitors had his black hair worn in a long ponytail resembling a bird's plume and he stopped to give a polite bow, "Lord Balor, King of the Fomorian Host I presume?"

Balor eyed the devilish looking man and then looked to his larger burlier companion, "I am he... and you are?"

The demonic warrior gave a gracious smile, "I am Malcaris, a representative of the Underworld's Demon Houses. I serve House Phoenix and come as their emissary. This here is my associate, a chief jailer known as Gorgoroth the Enslaver."

Balor wrinkled his features and eyed Gorgorth with contempt before turning back to Malcaris. "You may have your diplomatic protections here, but why have you demons come to bother us Fomorians?"

A thin smile formed upon the face of Malcaris as he made an ingratiating gesture, "My lord, we do not come to trouble you. Rather, we are here to give you notice that we will be operating in this area for the next several days. We know of your little war against the Four Courts and we only ask for you to remain neutral while we conduct our business with them."

Balor snorted, "Ah yes... the Faerie Realm's customary Tithe to Hell every seven years. Very well. I will not interfere, if only out of respect toward the Demon Houses. Now begone!"

Malcaris bowed his head with an oily smile, "Thank you Lord Balor. You have been most gracious. I assure you that we will be out of your way before you know it."

Gesturing to his fearsome looking comrade, he turned and began walking out of the Great Hall, "Come along then Gorgorth. We have much to do... debts to collect and souls to enslave."

* * *

Meanwhile, the Fomorian general Leanansidhe sat by herself next to a small pond deep in the woods. It was a cool early spring day but it wasn't the elements that bothered her. She had been troubled by the recent victories of the human knights from Somerset Valley and by the growing discomfort she had been feeling every time she confronted them.

She couldn't quite be certain what exactly those feelings were but she knew that it was something struggling within her... confusing her, and she hated it. She would always feel that discomfort in battle, especially in the presence of the Summer Knight and she still could not understand why. She glanced again toward the waters of the pond hoping she would find an answer. There were times when she would come to that pond late at night and in the still glow of the moonlight, there would be an occasional flicker in her reflection. She had yet to comprehend what it meant, but she wanted to understand.

The young fey woman swiped her hand at the water and splashed away her reflection. Sitting here and brooding was not going to do her any good. If she was going to do anything productive, she might as well start by trying to get answers. She would seek out the Knight of Summer and confront him. She didn't know what she would do after that... if that meant fighting, or talking. If she was going to have to continue confronting her enemy, she might as well try to understand him... and herself too.

* * *

Despite the somewhat overcast day, the sounds of chirping birds and the sight of new grass growing were optimistic signs that the start of the spring season had begun. A few weeks had passed since the campus had been terrorized by a malicious leprechaun and in that time, the last icy grip of the winter season had given way to an early spring thaw.

On that particular afternoon, Connor and Quinton met up with Stephen to grab lunch with him after an exam in his last morning class. As the three boys walked together along the west end of the college campus, Stephen checked his watch and asked idly, "The girls won't be joining us for lunch today, will they?"

"Nope," Connor replied as he gave a friendly wave to some other classmates passing by on the sidewalk, "Noelle's still stuck in a science lab studying animals today and Laura decided to go off and play some tennis."

"She mentioned to me over breakfast that she's been itching to get back outside and hit the courts," Quinton added with a chuckle while he rolled along on his skateboard, "Imagine that, the Winter Knight has spring fever."

"Speaking of spring fever, heads up Quin! Ten o' clock." Connor laughed while grabbing his roommate's shoulders and directing his gaze across the West End's sprawl.

There the three boys looked across the path and saw the familiar face of Kayla, Quinton's next door neighbor from home and the object of his affections. She was a very pretty young woman with an athletic build, rosy cheeks, and long honey colored hair. Despite the cool of the early spring air, she seemed determined to enjoy the day huddled in her warm green jacket.

Quinton stopped a moment and froze up, unsure of what to do next. Stephen caught the moment of hesitation and smirked in amusement, "Ah yes... springtime, when a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love."

Quinton gave the Silver Knight a little scowl before he felt Connor give an encouraging push from behind, "She's all alone. Why don't you go sit down and have lunch with her Quinton. Go seal the deal and ask her out already."

The Spring Knight sputtered in protest, "Geez Connor, I don't know... I mean, fighting Fomorians is one thing, but this? What about you guys?"

Connor and Stephen exchanged an amused look and shrugged, "Trust us, we'll manage just fine for lunch."

Quinton grimaced before taking a few deep breaths and gathering his courage, "All right... okay, here we go."

He walked forward and approached his neighbor while wearing a nervous smile, "Uh, hey Kayla. I didn't expect to see you here today. Mind if I join you?"

Kayla looked up and gave him a sweet smile, "Hi Quinton! Come and sit with me."

Quinton moved toward the bench but stopped when he saw a strange glowing portal begin to open on the edge of the campus's west end. Kayla frowned in confusion before tuning toward where he was looking and gasped when she spotted the portal, along with several figures emerging from it. As he watched, his heart began to race as he didn't recognize what these creatures were at all. Whatever the monstrous warriors were, they certainly weren't spriggans.

The creatures had reddish skin and vaguely resembled medieval foot soldiers with crude hauberks of banded armor and sallet helmets. Strangely enough, small horns protruded from their helmets giving them somewhat of a demonic appearance. After a squad of them emerged, they were followed by two more impressive looking demons who appeared to be their leaders. Malcaris and Gorogorth eyed the campus and examined several of the startled students who were passing by.

Quinton grabbed Kayla by the shoulders and pulled her up, "Kayla, get out of here! Get to safety, now!"

"Quinton, what about you?" she protested.

He shook his head and gently pushed her on, "I'll be along. Go! Now!"

As she took off running with some of the students, the demonic soldiers grabbed two of the other coeds, a male and female. Malcaris examined them both and shrugged, "Keep the boy. The girl isn't fair enough. Gorgorth, take him away."

As the demons released the female student, Connor and Stephen rejoined Quinton and confronted the new monsters. Connor stepped forward and took the lead, "Hey! That's enough! Whoever you are, you'd better get lost!"

Malcaris looked up slowly with an air of bored disdain, "Insolent mortals... you must be the so-called Hibernian Knights."

Stephen balked a moment and clenched a fist, "How do you know that? Who are you?"

Malcaris gave a thin smile, "I am Malcaris of the Demon House Phoenix. Ask your faerie patrons and you'll see that what we're doing here is perfectly legal. It's best you children walk away and not interfere in something that doesn't pertain to you."

"When you're threatening our home and our classmates, you've gotta believe it matters to us," Connor growled while raising his ring, "Ready guys? Athru!"

The three boys quickly called on their knightly armor and weapons, standing ready to challenge the new monsters. Malcaris sneered and waved his troops forward to intercept. Quinton was the first to charge and began cutting through the infantry with his sword and sickle. Connor ignited his sword and fought alongside his roommate, slashing through the soldiers until he confronted the hulking demon jailer Gorgorth.

As the Summer Knight clashed his sword against the demon's heavy maul, he grunted and tried to push back against the monster's immense strength while Quinton moved to flank. He couldn't get there in time as he was blasted back by a fireball from Malcaris while Gorgorth shoved back and threw Connor aside effortlessly. Before the demon leaders could advance, Stephen batted aside the last of the demon troops with his bow and turned it on the enemy, firing a magic scattershot arrow.

Gorgoroth shielded Malcaris and took several bolts in the side with a grunt while the emissary backed off, still clutching his one student hostage. "Enough. We have what we need for now. Let's be off."

Before the knights could regroup, the emissary opened another portal and jumped through with the hostage and the rest of the demons. Connor rose to his feet and helped Quinton up while catching his breath, "Nice shooting Stephen... but what on earth was all that about with the monsters?"

The Silver Knight grimaced and shrugged, "I have no idea what they were. They might not be Fomorians, but they seem to know about the Faerie Realm. I think we should get the others and head over to Kristen's."

"Good idea," Quinton said taking one last look in the direction where Kayla had fled to make sure she was safe, "Hopefully she and the other Druids will know what to do about all this."

* * *

Later that afternoon, after having contacted everyone, the whole team assembled at the antique shop for an emergency meeting. While they convened, the mood of the room was on the darker side as the three boys were still troubled by their run in with the unknown enemy. Likewise, Kristen sat down in her favorite armchair looking unusually quiet and pensive. As the boys told Laura and Noelle about the attack and the abduction of a student, Yum-Yum whimpered and curled up in Noelle's lap for safety while she sat listening.

"That does sound a bit unusual," Laura admitted, still dressed in her tennis clothes from earlier and holding her racket, "Why demons, and why would they take one prisoner and not the other?"

"Even more troubling, what do these demons have to do with the faerie courts? The monsters said that what they were doing was apparently legal from the standpoint of the Four Courts," Stephen added while crossing his arms.

"That's because it technically is," Kristen chimed in while wearing a dark expression, "It's a tithing year... though I didn't think they would be acting so soon."

"Tithing? As in paying some kind of medieval tax?" Connor asked incredulously, "What the hell kind of tithe is this?"

Noelle nodded grimly from where she sat continuing to pet Yum-Yum, "And you knew this was going to happen? What is going on here Kristen?"

The knights' Druid mentor sat up and grimaced, "I promise that I'll explain everything very soon. For now, let's just say that there's a bit of an ancient customary agreement between the Faerie Realm and the demons of the Infernal Realms."

The five students blinked in shock toward one another before Quinton asked aloud, "You mean the Four Courts negotiate with... the devils in Hell?"

"It's complicated," Kristen admitted, "But for simplicity's sake right now, the answer is yes."

Laura frowned indignantly, "We're not properly equipped or experienced in fighting demons Kristen. If they're going to be raising bloody hell here, what are we supposed to do about it?"

"Normally nothing," Kristen admitted ruefully, "But things are going to be different this time. I called in a little bit of help for us and they should be here any moment."

No sooner had she said that was when the door to the shop opened and everyone looked up to see three figures enter, two men and a woman. The older of the two males looked to be in his mid forties. He was a good looking man who wore a white collared shirt under a casual black blazer while sporting some stubble on his face and distinguished silver streaks in his hair.

Beside him was a younger man who looked to be about thirty, the same age as Kristen. He was a handsome man with short black hair and light brown eyes, dressed in a stylish tweed blazer over dressy jeans and a dark red sweater. Beside him was a strikingly beautiful young woman with blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a stoic look about her. Like her two companions, she had a strong athletic build and was well-dressed sporting dark slacks, a white blouse and a subdued yellow cardigan sweater.

Kristen immediately recognized them and jumped up from her chair rushing over to the door, "Professor Bishop! You made it! Oh, it's been so long!"

The older man gave a kind smile and clasped Kristen's hands, "It's great to see you too Kristen. I'm always happy to help a former student of mine."

The other knights turned as they saw Laura drop her tennis racket and stare at the door wide eyed in shock, "Oh… oh my… he's here… I can't believe he's really here!"

Noelle quickly rose to steady her friend and keep her from hyperventilating, "Laura... what are you talking about?"

The Winter Knight pointed toward the older man who was still talking to Kristen, "Him! That's Professor Gabriel Bishop! My hero! The guy whose books I collect and read all the time!"

At the doorway, Kristen turned to greet the younger man with a laugh and a delighted smile. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and threw her arms around his neck in a big hug, "Oh my gosh! Joe Hale! This is a surprise! I haven't seen you in forever!"

Joe hugged Kristen back and laughed, "College was a long time ago but I see things haven't changed too much. It's great to see you again!"

As he let go, she turned to the other woman and took her hands warmly with a smile, "Kara... it's been a long time too. I'm glad you could make it here."

Kara gave a gentle smile and slowly nodded, "No need for thanks... but I am glad that my duty lets me see an old friend again too."

Kristen led her guests inside the shop and turned to the knights, "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to some old friends of mine… my college History teacher Professor Gabriel Bishop, his cousin Kara Bishop, and one of my old classmates Joe Hale."

Laura was the first to rush up and shake Bishop's hand enthusiastically, "Dr. Bishop… it's an honor to meet you sir! I'm Laura Gremory and a huge fan of your work! I'm a History student here and I've read all your books and papers and you've inspired me to be just like you!"

Bishop was momentarily taken aback by the girl's enthusiastic greeting before giving a kindhearted laugh, "Wow, thanks Miss Gremory. I'm very glad to know that you like my work and take some inspiration from it. There were lots of people who thought I was totally crazy before."

"Not at all sir! Your work on the history of the Empyrian Angels civilization was captivating!" Laura exclaimed before turning to Joe and clasping his hand, "Speaking of which… Mr. Hale, I know all about you from Professor Bishop's account of the events in Hyperion Falls. You're a genuine hero and it's an honor to meet the leader of the Vanguard Power Rangers!"

Connor, Quinton, Noelle, and Stephen all gawked in sudden shock. Standing in their midst was another veteran Power Ranger... this one of some notoriety.

Joe gave an equally surprised look before graciously smiling back to the girl. He shook her hand and tried to play it off as modestly as he could, "Ah... well, thank you Miss Gremory. I'm very pleased to meet you too."

Laura stopped a moment in her manic excitement and turned to Kara, "And Ms. Bishop... this is truly amazing! To meet the Gold Vanguard Ranger, and a real life half-angel too... oh, it is true isn't it?"

"In a manner of speaking... yes," Kara replied politely.

Again the other knights' eyes went wide at the presence of another Power Ranger and a supernatural being at the same time. Laura didn't seem intimidated at all and continued on excitedly,

"Oh, I have so many questions to ask you! Both of you!"

"Okay… deep breaths Laura," Kristen smiled as she pried her young charge away. "Everyone, let's go through some formal introductions and then sit down. There's some big trouble going on in the valley and we've got a lot to discuss."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Happy Halloween everyone! Here's my little "treat" to all of you with demons and devils today. The bad guys featured here have ties to the lore and demon houses from the OC Power Rangers series Occult Circle written by _Stormasius_. As he and I have a shared universe, I just want to give him some thanks again for his help in coordinating this plotline.**

 **There's plenty left to go in this little crossover arc so stay tuned and thanks for reading everyone!**


	28. The Devil's Due

**Episode 14: Part 2  
**

After introductions had been made, everyone gathered at one of the large wooden tables in the shop. Kristen produced a wooden box while Scratch and Yum-Yum brought three large wine glasses filled with water for the guests.

"Are those… living gargoyles?" Kara asked in astonishment.

Connor nodded and gave a friendly laugh, "Yup. They've kinda grown on us so don't worry. They're both pretty friendly and relatively tame."

From the box, Kristen took three raisins and dropped them in the glasses before stirring. To everyone's amazement, the raisins dissolved and became a sweet smelling mulled wine.

"Whoah… that's cool. What did you do?" Quinton asked while the guests from Hyperion Falls sampled the drinks.

"Feywine Raisins," Kristen chuckled as she made herself a glass, "I always keep a stash handy for special occasions… and honored guests."

"Too bad we don't have access to any of these back home," Joe smiled while taking a sip, "It's good."

"Speaking of home, I heard congratulations are in order. You're a Dad now," Kristen said while sitting down.

Joe kept smiling and produced his phone, proudly pulling up a picture of an infant son with Asian looking features. "Yup, baby Tyler's going on four months now."

"Aww, he's so cute! He looks a lot like Claire," Kristen said while she and Noelle both gushed over the picture.

"You'll forgive Claire for not being able to make it this time," Bishop said gently, "She's got her hands full and Nick is helping to keep an eye on things in the city for us while we're gone."

"Danny and Izzy?" Kristen prompted.

Kara took a calm swallow of wine and cleared her throat, "We decided it was best they stay out harm's way. Izzy is four months pregnant now... with a girl."

Kristen grinned, "Awesome! Maybe one day she and Tyler will get married to make the Hales and Winthropes one big family for real."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Joe said with a guarded smile before becoming focused on the task at hand. His serious and sensible leadership qualities were beginning to resurface again as he cleared his throat, "Now... we were still called here to stop a demon problem. How can we help?"

Kristen sat upright and nodded while growing solemn as well, "Yes... there's a problem growing here that the Druids would be normally powerless to stop. Because the fey have become much more active here, it's even more unpredictable and dangerous as well."

Kristen folded her hands and cast an unusually serious look around the table, "Every seven years, the Faerie Realm is required to pay a tithe to the demons of the Underworld. This was the result of an ancient treaty between the two races to keep peace. As far as we know, the land of Faerie shares a cosmic border with the Underworld and the tithe was agreed upon so that the demons would not attack or interfere in the land of the fey."

"All right, so what does this tithe have to do with people getting kidnapped?" Laura asked.

Kristen nodded, "There are some old Celtic legends like the story of Tam Lin where it's suggested that the fey give over a number of people who are fair and beautiful to be sacrificed."

Bishop slowly frowned in thought, "Knowing the way the demons are, they probably wouldn't discriminate too much between an Elf victim or a human one. It's the souls that are ultimately important. I suppose the fey will be more willing to let young attractive humans be taken in place of their own?

"Precisely," Druid said while the five knights wore silent looks of growing horror. "That makes all the young students here in this college town all the more vulnerable."

Noelle was the first to shake her head indignantly, "I can't believe this… that the Faerie Courts would allow such a terrible thing to happen!"

Kristen fixed her young charge with a solemn expression, "Noelle, you should know by now that as beautiful and mysterious as the faerie people are, they're just as dangerous and unpredictable. It would be a mistake to assume that the Courts are truly friendly towards the people of our world."

Joe nodded slowly from across the table and looked to Kristen, "If the fey are truly complicit in allowing this to happen, are we going to have to fight them too?"

"I'm praying that it won't have to come to that Joe," Kristen sighed, "I had asked for you and Kara to help stand guard against any demon activity, at least in Somerset Valley. If the fey get involved, the knights and I will try to take the lead on that end."

"All right then," Joe said, "Kara and I will start patrolling together and get our bearings on campus. If you knights see any demons, let us know and we'll be there to help."

Professor Bishop drummed his fingers on the table and gave a thoughtful look, "In the mean time, I'll help Kristen try to pull up more information on the demon houses and work on ways to get the hostages back."

"You won't be joining us in the field?" Laura asked in slight disappointment.

"Nah. I'm getting too old for running around and punching demons in the face," the professor replied with a modest chuckle.

"Could I still stay behind here and help then?" Laura asked hopefully, "I'd love to learn more from you."

"It's okay with me," Bishop said with a kind nod before looking to the other knights, "Provided it's okay with your team?"

Everyone else returned the nod as Connor rose from his seat, "All right then. If that's the plan, we'll keep a sharp lookout until we fine tune our counter-strategy."

"Then let's not waste any more time," Stephen said as he moved toward the door, "We've got time for a quick sweep of campus before dinner. Let's go!"

* * *

The next day, the Red and Gold Vanguard Rangers took a late morning stroll around the college to get a feel for the new terrain. As they idly walked the campus grounds, Joe pulled his blazer a little closer to stay warm, "Just like old times at college, huh Kara? Patrolling for demons and slaying monsters?"

The Gold Ranger gave a sidelong glance followed by a faint nod, "Yes, though we have a slight advantage now that we're both a little older and wiser."

"Ah Kara. Cautious and careful as always. I'm glad you're tagging along with me on this one," Joe laughed quietly.

Kara grimaced slightly as they continued walking, "If I can be perfectly honest with you, there's a part of me that actually wishes you had stayed behind in Hyperion Falls... and let me take care of the problem here."

Joe turned in surprise and frowned, "Kara... why would say that? The Vanguard Rangers are needed here and we were asked to help. I have a responsibility as our leader to go."

"That's just it," Kara protested, "Your commitment to your duty is admirable, but you risk forgetting about your other responsibility... to your new family back home. Things are different now. You have a wife and child to think about. What if something were to happen to you?"

Joe fell silent and chewed his lip, "I guess when you put it that way, you have a point. Still... we're Rangers and if people are in danger, we're obligated to help. Those demons are taking people away from their families here. I won't let them do that... so that my own family won't be in danger. Claire understood that and she still let me go to help here. I promised her that I'd come back safe and sound."

"You know as well as I do that she'll still worry," Kara answered levelly while looking him in the eye, "That's why she asked me to personally look after you and guard your life while we were here... to keep you from doing anything too heroic... her words, not mine."

Joe stopped and looked at his comrade again in surprise before giving a small snort of amusement, "I guess I'm good hands then."

"We Empyrian warriors are loyal to a fault and never break a vow," Kara replied with a mysterious smile, "I'd be an awful soldier if I allowed my commander to get killed here, wouldn't I?"

Joe smiled warmly and put a gentle hand on her shoulder before continuing on his way, "Thank you Kara... for keeping me honest and for being a good friend. And I still mean what I said too. I'm glad that you're here to help me. Now come on... let's stay sharp and cover some more ground."

* * *

Early that afternoon, Quinton Wallace took his skateboard out after his Sociology classes ended early for the day. He had decided to go for a little cruise to patrol campus while at the same time clear his head. Although it was still cool out, it was a little more sunny and pleasant which put his mind at ease. While he boarded down a parkway and turned a corner, he stopped abruptly when he saw Kayla heading his way from the opposite direction. Just like yesterday, she was alone and the Spring Knight had to stop and take a breath to calm his own beating heart.

After the demon attack yesterday, he was still a little concerned and he boarded over to talk to her. She looked up in surprise when she saw him and again gave a relieved smile, "Quinton... there you are. I was a little worried about you."

"I... Kayla? You were?" he asked as she took his hands and gave a little squeeze.

"Of course I was... after those monsters attacked yesterday... I didn't see you and I was a little worried something might have happened. I heard that one of the students might have been taken by them yesterday."

"Yeah... about that," Quinton answered as he got of his skateboard and walked along with her, "I'm fine. I just wanted to come by and make sure you were okay too. I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I let you get in harms way the other day."

She smiled gently and gave his shoulder a nudge, "Aw, that's really sweet of you Quinton. I was actually a little flattered you were acting so brave and protective yesterday during the attack. It's a side of you that I don't see very often and... well, I think it was a nice surprise."

"Oh... well, it's no biggie," Quinton sheepishly answered, "Um, Kayla? Can I walk you home? There's something kinda important that I want to talk to you about."

She turned to look at him intently, "Is everything okay? Is something wrong?"

"No. No. Nothing's wrong," Quinton answered hurriedly, "This is a good thing... well, at least I think so... oh boy, where do I start?"

"How about at the beginning?" Kayla laughed kindly as she stopped and patted his arm.

The Spring Knight nodded and tried to channel every single one of Connor's pep talks through his mind at the moment, "Right then... Kayla, you and I have been friends and neighbors for well... a really long time now. I uh, know I can sometimes be a little spazzy whenever we hang out... especially recently, but there's a good explanation for that."

"Really?" she asked raising an eyebrow in amusement, "And what is that?"

Quinton rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat, "Well... it's because I really enjoy spending time with you and I was hoping we could do that a little more often... maybe in a differnt kind of way."

Kayla stopped a moment and seemed to slowly put the words together, "Oh... Quinton, I... I don't know what to say... I..."

Their moment was interrupted as another demon portal abruptly opened up nearby surprising the two young people. Kayla squeaked in surprised fear as she saw several demon foot soldiers of House Phoenix pour out followed by the large burly monster, Gorgoroth the Enslaver. The jailer looked about before he spotted Kayla and waved his soldiers onward, "Over there! Grab that girl. She'll be perfect."

Quinton immediately interposed himself between her and the advancing demons. He tensed and assumed a fighting stance while giving an angry snarl, "No! You aren't going to take her! I won't let you!"

"Quinton? What's going on?" Kayla asked fearfully clutching his sleeve.

"Go on! Get out of here. I'll hold them off for you," the Spring Knight pleaded. This was desperate. He wasn't sure he could take these demons all by himself and he was torn at the idea of exposing his identity in front of Kayla if he called his armor.

Unfortunately, the demon troops didn't give him any time to think about it as they charged right on top of him forcing the knight to fight back unarmed and unarmored. Despite his disadvantage, Quinton held his own and kicked aside the first pair of soldiers while redirecting the spear thrust of a third demon into another enemy. The knight used his momentum and rolled off the attack, snagging the weapon while swinging it to ward away a few more foes.

"This is getting very annoying," Gorgorth growled as he rushed in and swung his own weapon at Quinton.

The Spring Knight raised his guard and blocked with the spear but the sheer force of the powerful demon sent him flying backward and caused him to hit the ground hard. As he rolled to his knees and tried to shake off the hit, Gorgoroth fired a plume of hellfire that exploded around the knight, throwing him backward in a stunned heap.

As Quinton lay on the ground in a half conscious fog, he was surprised to see the arrival of a few faerie soldiers who looked to belong to the Spring Court. The squad of Elves were clad in green tunics over their armor and they wore helmets with small stag horns ornamenting them. To his horror, he saw the Elves had captured Kayla and forcefully dragged her back toward the small platoon of demons.

The leader of the faerie soldiers handed over Kayla to Gorogorth and the demon stood down, giving an appreciative nod. Amid her fearful cries for help to Quinton, Gorgoroth opened another portal and took her away with him followed by his foot soldier escorts.

"No... Kayla..." Quinton croaked as he painfully dragged himself forward and struggled to rise to his knees.

The fey soldiers of the Spring Court gave a pitying look as they watched Quinton struggle before they shook their heads and began to follow the demons through the portal. The leader of the troops walked over and looked down at Quinton for a long moment before speaking, "For your own good, please just stay down Sir Knight. Forget the girl... it would be suicide to follow us into the Hinterlands."

The soldier turned on his heel and quickly walked through the portal before it closed leaving Quinton laying on the ground, beaten, dirty, and sore. Hot tears stung at his eyes as the Spring Knight rolled over onto his back and pounded the grass angrily. He failed. He was so close but he let those monsters take Kayla and the faerie soldiers of Spring... his own Court were helping the enemy. He didn't know what to do at the moment and he knew he should get up and call the others for help. He had to go save Kayla, but as he lay there he let his emotions get the best of him and he couldn't help but let a few angry tears roll down his cheeks.

* * *

Meanwhile, across campus on the other end of town Connor Walsh walked by himself and headed into a local park. Because it was still a bit cool out, not many people were out walking around at this hour. The Summer Knight made his way deeper into the secluded forested paths deciding on taking a calming stroll. While he did, he thought about the surprising arrival of the Vanguard Rangers the other day and he pondered just how serious a threat this demon menace was. It obviously had to have been serious if the normally cool headed Kristen was on edge and if powerful veteran Rangers were showing up too.

Even more sickening was the thought that the fey and the demons were basically on the same side at the moment and the innocent humans of the valley were being caught in the crossfire. As he walked, he decided he wouldn't let any more of his classmates come to harm... not if he could help it. The Summer Knight glanced over and stopped as he suddenly saw a faint glittering light appear from a nearby pond that he passed by. He frowned and headed off the walking path to investigate.

As he approached, he saw that it was a small forest pond and nothing looked particularly off about it. There was no sparkle and Connor continued to survey the area, wondering if maybe his mind had just been playing tricks on him. As he took one more glance at the waters, he jumped in fear as he saw another reflection behind his own... a very familiar one. He whirled around and clenched his fists, ready to defend himself from the young red headed sorceress in a green dress, the same one who helped to lead the Fomorian armies... Leanansidhe.

"Leanansidhe! What are you doing here! What do you want!" the knight growled as he prepared to raise his ring and summon his armor.

"Calm down Summer Knight. I am not here to fight you," she replied calmly raising her hands indicating she was unarmed.

Connor kept his guard up and remained tense while staring daggers at her, "If this is some kind of trick..."

"I assure you, I have no intention to harm you... at least not for now," she said while passing by him and walking calmly toward the pond.

"Sorry... I just find that a little hard to believe, what with all the prior times we drew swords and you tried to kill us."

Leanansidhe shrugged then looked to him, "No... today... I am more interested in talking... specifically to you."

"With me?" Connor asked incredulously as he relaxed his posture a little bit, "What do you want from me?"

Leanansidhe gave a pensive frown as she paused to search for the words, "This may sound strange... but I cannot help but have the feeling that I've known you before. You keep insisting my name is Leanne and you act as if you seem to know me."

"It bothers you... doesn't it?" Connor noted as he warily walked over near the pond, making sure to keep his distance from the sorceress.

Leanansidhe bent down to kneel by the water and look at her reflection before glancing up and looking the Summer Knight directly in the eyes, "I want you to tell me about her... everything you know about this Leanne person... then we'll see how I really feel."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **To answer the Guest review questions:**

 **1.) Kristen is not Krissy from Vanguard Chapter 7 and 8. She had not been previously mentioned in the story but I wanted to tie her to the old team as one of their unnamed classmates.**

 **2.) I'm not quite sure about any other Vanguard Rangers returning for this one. Nick's on guard duty, Danny's got a lot to deal with (especially considering how temperamental Izzy is to begin with), and as for the two girls... well, I can only speculate that babies and pregnancy can be a real handful sometimes. ;)**

 **3.) As for Izzy's student Laurel becoming a Ranger in a future story, who knows? It's always possible, right?**


	29. Hostage Situation

**Episode 15: Part 1  
**

Connor paused and cautiously eyed the young fey woman again before sitting down by the pond. A short silence fell between them as a cool gentle breeze rustled through the budding leaves on the trees. After he took a breath he began to speak, "We were kids. Leanne MacClure... she lived across the street from me in a small red brick house with a tall oak tree out front and a little flower garden in front. She was the first person who wanted to talk to me when I moved here... who wanted to be my friend."

Leanansidhe glanced over curiously and continued to listen as Connor continued to muse, "We played together all the time. She was always curious and pushing boundaries. We'd always go on imaginary treasure hunts or pretend to be explorers in a strange magical land going on adventures. Your parents... I mean, her parents would scold her about being careful and not getting lost."

Leanansidhe frowned to herself as fleeting sensations seemed to pry at the very edges of her memory and consciousness... as if she were trying to remember fragments of a long forgotten dream. There was laughter, sunshine, and vaguely familiar voices.

"What happened to her?"

Connor shrugged, "I don't know. She just... disappeared one day and no one in town ever saw her again. Some people think she got lost in the woods. Others thought maybe she was taken."

Leanansidhe narrowed her gaze, "What do you think happened?"

Again Connor shrugged, but he looked troubled at having to dredge up the painful memories, "I have no idea. I just... her parents were heartbroken and they looked for years, but I remember the day Mr. and Mrs. MacClure gave up and moved away. They were never the same again."

"And you?"

Connor eyed the fey sorceress, "She was once my friend. My best friend. I guess as long as I've lived here, there are times I'll look into the woods and wonder if she's still there. When Quinton had been granted a wish coin, he had asked me what I'd wish for. I would have said to find out what happened to Leanne and to being her home."

Leanansidhe took several breaths as the odd feelings of deja vu and long forgotten memories kept clawing at her more. She slowly rose and turned to leave, "I... thank you Summer Knight. You've given me a lot to think about. You may go now."

"My name is Connor... Connor Walsh," he said with firm conviction as he stood and looked her right in the eye. "If that's really you in there Leanne, I'm asking you one more time to remember. If we really were friends, then we don't have to fight each other. Let me help you. Please... come home."

He reached out a hand and Leanansidhe hesitated unsure of whether to extend her own hand when they heard the sounds of rustling and breaking twigs underfoot. They both spun around and found themselves surrounded by the demon soldiers who Connor had battled before. Another portal opened depositing a fresh group of enemy troops along with the demon commander Malcaris. He eyed the scene with a sneer, "Oh... did I interrupt a little moment just now?"

Connor immediately swept his ring around and summoned his armor in a burst of fiery magic. As he drew his sword, he faced down the encroaching demon troops, "What do you want you monster?"

Malcaris lazily turned his gaze over toward Leanansidhe, "I'm making up for a mistake I made a long time ago... to catch one of the rare ones that got away. Hello pretty thing. Remember me?"

Leanansidhe recoiled in surprise and wore a look of both outrage and fear. More memories were assaulting her now... memories of fear, of monsters, of a chase.

"I don't know what you're talking about demon. Begone!" she fired back, "I serve Balor and his warrior host. You wouldn't dare try to take me."

Malcaris snorted, "Balor has pledged not to intervene as long as I am here. Guards, seize the witch."

The demons advanced and Connor was the first to clash with the monsters. As he hacked and parried his way through the scrum, he tried to block Malcaris's approach but was bogged down in the press of bodies. Leanansidhe also called her sword and began to fight the demons but was so distracted, she didn't see Malcaris edge around the battle and strike her from behind with a stunning spell cast from his blade. He gestured quickly to some more troops nearby as they produced iron chains, "Quickly! Seize her and let's be off!"

The troops snapped the cold iron chains on Leanansidhe's wrists and ankles to inhibit her powers before they lifted her up to carry her away into an escape portal. At that moment, Connor broke through a gap and witnessed the abduction of the Fomorian general, "Hey! Come back here!"

Malcaris laughed as he watched his newest prisoner get taken away through the portal, "It's too late Summer Knight. Unlike your friend, you have no use to me. Prepare to die!"

As the other demons regrouped around Connor to overwhelm him with their numbers, they were halted by a bright flash of lightning that momentarily blinded everyone on the battlefield. When Connor's vision cleared, he blinked in surprise and relief when he saw two familiar figures making their way into the grove. The demons took several steps back as they witnessed the two Vanguard Rangers Joe and Kara stride forward holding brass artifacts in the shape of keys which glowed with vibrant red and golden light.

Malcaris's eyes went wide, "No... you... what are you Rangers doing here?"

"What else? We're here to send you back to whatever miserable hellhole you crawled up from," Joe answered fiercely as he raised his artifact, "Kara, are you ready?"

The Gold Ranger nodded as they call in unison, " _Vanguard Ascend!_ "

In a brilliant flash of celestial light, Connor stood in awe as he saw the two morphed Vanguard Rangers, their suits adorned with white and gold trim. Both drew gladius short swords from their sides and inserted their keys into the pommels, quickly transfiguring them into their personal weapons, a straight saber sword and a pair of scimitars.  
"Let's take it to em," Joe called as he brandished his own sword, "Vanguard, take flight!"

Both the demons and the Summer Knight stood speechless as the two Rangers took to the air in a great leap and seemed to summon shimmering angel wings to give them extra lift. Moments later, the Rangers both swooped down like merciless birds of prey and mowed down the stunned foot soldiers of House Phoenix. Kara aggressively battered her way through the troops moving with superhuman grace and speed, parrying aside enemy blows and counter slashing with her other sword. With one more burst of divine energy, she swept aside a group of them with a blinding swing of her electrically charged scimitars.

Nearby, Joe confidently slashed aside several demons with his blade and engulfed them in wreaths of searing fire. While he did, he used his wings to shield himself from blows and then batter aside other enemies like an extra set of long arms. As he swept aside the foes around him, he dispelled the wings and tumbled free, pulling a second sidearm from his belt, a celestial looking pistol. Without breaking stride, he squeezed off several golden blaster shots which struck the remaining demon foot soldiers and destroyed them instantly.

"I don't have time to deal with you," Malcaris snarled as he made his escape through the portal, "You're still too late. I got what I want!"

As the portal closed, Kara delivered a final coup de grace to a fallen demon before sheathing her two deadly swords. Joe gave his pistol a twirl and holstered it with a nod before turning back to the speechless Summer Knight,

"Sorry we got here a little late. Is everything okay?"

"Wow... that was... amazing," Connor stammered in awe before the three powered down to survey the aftermath of the battle in the forested grove, "I'm fine... but the demons took another victim... someone I know."

Joe and Kara exchanged a grim look before Kara cleared her throat, "There was a sizeable force here. I believe the demons meant business with this target."

Joe frowned and nodded, "We should talk to Bishop. Until we can take some proactive move against the demons, we're going to keep chasing our tails."

Connor led the way out of the woods, "Let's go. There's no time to waste then!"

* * *

Later that day, everyone gathered in O'Doyle's tavern to rest and recuperate after their run-ins with the monsters. Stephen, Laura, and Noelle all reported fighting back against another demon raid resulting in another male classmate getting taken while Quinton sat off to side, still brooding over his failure to protect Kayla. While he sat stewing, Stephen sat down next to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Easy Quinton... we'll get her back."

As the chatter at the table died down, Kristen cleared her throat and brought the meeting to order, "Everyone... after what you all had told me, I can tell you that Quinton gave us a useful clue as to where your captured classmates are being taken. You had mentioned the Hinterlands... which is kind of like a strange in-between place... a cosmic limbo in between the planes of reality."

"Okay, so if we know where the place is, how do we get there?" Quinton asked as he sat up straighter, "We might as well launch an attack and try to rescue the hostages."

Kristen grimaced, "That's where things become tricky. I'm afraid getting there and back is very difficult and for a Druid of my skill level, it may even be beyond me."

"What about Mr. O'Doyle?" Noelle asked hopefully, "He's the most senior one here. Maybe he could help open the way for us."

Kristen shrugged and chewed her lip, "It's worth a try, I suppose."

"So that's the brilliant plan? Go all in with guns blazing?" Laura asked skeptically.

"Hold on a minute," Stephen pointed out with concern, "If we get directly involved and try to take back the prisoners, couldn't that cause some huge diplomatic disaster? The fey and the demons have a formal treaty in place. We can't violate that."

"Not necessarily," Joe pointed out as he finished reading over a paper that Bishop had handed him, "There may be a way around this."

Bishop cleared his throat and patted Laura on the shoulder, "I did a little digging around some old texts and found some references to that treaty. It seems that the Cambion demons which the Vanguard Rangers had fought were in some ways familiar with the other demon houses of the Underworld. Not quite allies but not exactly enemies either. Laura helped me find a recording of the treaty in an old historical grimoire and it looks like it might give us some wiggle room."

The Red Vanguard Ranger placed the paper on the table, "The treaty specifies that the fey provide a suitable tithe of living subjects for the demons to do with as they see fit. It also states that no agent of the Four Courts shall harm or hinder the demons during this time and that the demons shall afford the same courtesy toward any fey present."

"We know that," Stephen insisted, "Quinton said there were fey soldiers working alongside the demons."

Joe smiled, "Pay attention to the wording Stephen, those soldiers are agents of the Four Courts. They can't interfere… but we can. You knights have ties to the Courts, but you aren't beholden to them either, neither are Kara and I. We'd be acting as free agents here."

"But what about us Druids?" Kristen asked, "Technically we have diplomatic ties to the fey so I can't get directly involved either."

Kara gave a sly grin across the table, "You don't have to. As long as you don't take up any arms against the fey or the demons, you're not interfering. You can still help us and be present in a noncombatant role."

Kristen smiled to Joe and nudged his shoulder, "Leave it to an attorney to worm his way around demonic contracts."

The Red Ranger gave a grim chuckle, "I've litigated against the demons once before and barely won. I'd rather not do it again if I can help it."

Kristen rose from the table, "Okay… if that's settled, then I think we should all regroup and get ready to plan the next step in our rescue operation. I'm going to speak with Mr. O'Doyle about a gateway to the Hinterlands."

Bishop nodded and folded his arms, "I'll start drawing up plans with the Rangers and knights for now. Maybe we'll meet back at your shop in two hours?"

Kristen gave a nod and head off while everyone else settled in for a quick meal to refresh themselves. As they sat, Noelle gave a curious look to Bishop and asked, "Are you really coming with us to fight the demons this time Professor?"

"I think it's probably for the best," Bishop smiled as he glanced toward Joe and Kara, "We've got a little secret weapon in our back pocket and you never know when it might come in handy."

Noelle exchanged a puzzled look with Stephen who was also sitting nearby while Laura wore a giddy expression to herself, "Oh my God…. I'm actually getting a chance to go into battle alongside the Professor Bishop and two Ranger heroes. It's like every girl's dream come true."

Noelle raised an eyebrow and moved to speak but Connor quickly placed a hand on her shoulder while quietly shaking his head. For now, they simply decided that it was best to stay silent and let the Winter Knight remain beside herself with her sometimes odd flights of fancy.

* * *

The pounding sounds of her footfalls echoed through the dark mysterious woods as Leanne MacClure blindly pushed through the dead petrified woodlands. Everywhere she looked was an opaque disorienting fog that made the dead gray of the leafless colorless woods even that much more alien and frightening. She never should have stayed out by herself and went poking her nose in the woods... though she couldn't even be sure these were the same woods at the edge of Somerset Valley. All she knew was that she had to hurry... otherwise those frightening monsters, or demon things would come for her again. She had to find a way to escape.

As she continued to run blindly, she heard the snarling and growls of the demon foot soldiers come to capture her again to bring her to whatever horrible fate they had planned. That was when she saw a twinkling light bobbing ahead of her, like a guiding pixie to lead her to safety. She ran as fast as she could after the sprite until it stopped and glowed a warm green color. As she got closer, she was engulfed in the warm soothing light as the dead gray chill of the petrified woods around her melted away.

Leanansidhe awoke with a start and looked about her surroundings. Her heart began to accelerate as she found herself in the same dead gray petrified woods while a damp fog hung over the landscape adding a greater feeling of desolation and dread. She sat up slowly and found that her wrists and her ankles had been bound in cold iron chains which would nullify her power and restrain her. Nearby a warm campfire crackled while a band of demon soldiers huddled around it and stood guard. Off in the near distance, she could also see a few tents of soldiers from various Faerie Courts, apparently involved in the operation as well.

The young sorceress glanced over and saw that she had been chained up with a group of other young people, all of them handsome, fair, or fit in one way or another. Most likely these were other captured students from Somerset Valley who had been victims chosen for the Tithe. She turned to see the girl next to her, a beautiful young woman with honey colored hair and a green jacket huddling up and trembling to herself in fear. The girl noticed Leanansidhe and sat up while speaking in a hushed whisper, "You're one of the new ones? Do you know what's going on?"

The general shook her head and pretended to play dumb for the time being, "Err... no. I don't. I'm afraid I'm still a little groggy."

The girl in the green jacket nodded before scooting over, "I'm Kayla. Are you a student at the college too?"

"Um, yes... my name is... Leanne," the fey woman said deciding to use that as her alias giving a quiet nod.

"Where are we? And what are those monsters going to do with us?" Kayla said in a hushed fearful whisper so as not to alert the guards.

Leanansidhe looked around again and shrugged. Wherever it was, it seemed the prisoners were being herded together in an intermediate holding place. Maybe some kind of limbo? She never really learned much about the finer details of cosmology and portal travel. She couldn't help but wonder if anyone would come and help them... if Lord Balor would maybe send a Fomorian warrior to come and clear this up. She had failed him several times and perhaps had fallen out of favor too. The thought frightened her, but she had to hold out hope that Balor would send someone.

Kayla put a comforting hand over Leanansidhe's and squeezed it, "We've got to hold out for some kind of hope someone will save us... right?"

Leanansidhe could only look up to her eyes and give a grim nod, "For your sake, I hope you are right."


	30. Divine Intervention

**Episode 15: Part 2  
**

The air rippled and a narrow glowing curtain of magic energy parted ways allowing for safe passage. That afternoon, the knights and their Vanguard Ranger allies gathered near the outskirts of the town preparing to cross over into the Hinterlands, the void between dimensions. As they waited in the remote forest preserve grove near the rocky edge of the valley, Mr. O'Doyle tapped his Druid staff on the ground and chanted a few more ancient Gaelic words before giving a nod in front of the stabilized portal. "All right, it's safe to cross over now. I'm not powerful enough to hold the gate open the whole time so we'll have to leave a pixie beacon for you to signal me on the other side. That will act as your lifeline for me to tug you back."

"Thank you for doing this," Kristen said putting an appreciative hand on the elder's shoulder. She gripped her own staff and summoned a small green pixie which crossed over safely into the other side of the portal.

"Are you sure this beacon is going to work?" Stephen asked with apprehension in his voice. To everyone's surprise, Quinton was the first to step forward and cross over bravely.

"Come on everyone. People are in trouble. We don't have time."

Joe and Kara exchanged an amused look while Bishop shrugged, "Well... this is far from the craziest thing we've ever done. Let's go."

Not to be outdone or left behind, Laura immediately followed next and led the other knights through the portal. When they emerged, the rescue party found itself in what looked to be a dark colorless gray woodland with hazy fog and barren leafless trees. A slight wind rustled the branches and helped give off a greater feeling of desolation and emptiness.

"Welcome to the Hinterlands," Kristen said grimly as she checked the stationary green pixie beacon and began leading the way forward with her glowing staff. Joe ignited his Keyrune artifact like a torch to add more light while Kara bent down to examine the ground. She had been trained in many aspects of being a warrior and tracking was one such useful skill she was proficient in.

"Do you see anything?" Noelle asked hopefully while the others fanned out in a defensive formation.

Kara looked up and gestured forward in one direction, "It looks like a large group of something passed this way not long ago. If we hurry, we may be able to catch up."

Everyone fell in line and began a quick march following Kara as she guided them and followed the tracks though the dark desolate woods.

"Geez. This place gives me the creeps," Connor remarked quietly as they walked, "It's got a very Blair Witch Project vibe going on."

"Lucky for us, we're a lot better prepared to handle monsters," Laura muttered in reply as she warily kept her eyes open for trouble.

The party advanced onward until Kara halted abruptly and looked around slowly, "Something isn't right here. We're not alone."

Everyone tensed up in quiet dread before Quinton spotted something out the corner of his eye and pointed it out, "Over there, by those trees!"

Noelle quickly pulled her own curved blade and hurled the projectile weapon with a gust of Autumn Wind. The spinning blade chased after a dark moving figure rustling in the brush, forcing it to jump out of cover. He was immediately surrounded by the rescue party with their weapons drawn threateningly. He was a demon warrior with a slim but lean build. Unlike the warriors of the demon house Phoenix, he wore different armor and colors hinting at shades of blue.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Connor growled as he put the tip of his sword threateningly to the neck of the scout.

The demon eyed his captors for a long moment before raising his hands slowly in surrender, "I am Nerath, a scout of House Leviathan. I am here to spy on the soldiers of House Phoenix while they wait here to return to the Underworld."

From where he stood, Professor Bishop frowned thoughtfully, "House Leviathan... I remember reading bits and pieces about your demon houses in various texts. You are enemies of House Phoenix."

"They are enemies of everyone," Nerath snorted, "They are ambitious, power hungry, and cannot be trusted... even among our own kind."

Everyone looked to Bishop while he kept a level eye on the demon, "The faerie tithe... you're suspecting foul play? That they may be cheating somehow?"

Nerath smiled slyly, "I know they're cheating. They're in charge of collecting the tithe this time, but they're taking more prisoners than necessary... most likely to skim a few souls off the top before the other houses get a cut."

Joe's expression grew firmer before he waved the others on, "Connor, let him go. The hostages are still in danger and we have what we need."

Connor blinked in surprise before lowering his weapon, "We do? What?"

"Leverage," the Red Ranger replied as he and Kara led the way forward. Stephen watched as the Leviathan scout retreated back into the fog of the woods but kept his bow at the ready to fire at the first sign of deception.

"We're just going to let that demon walk away? He might give away our position," the Silver Knight noted.

Bishop shook his head, "No. The information about the Phoenix troops is too valuable to his house. We are not a threat to Leviathan right now."

"Enemy of my enemy is my friend, eh?" Laura concluded with a grim smile.

Up ahead, Kara stopped the rescue party and had them take cover behind a small forest ridge. Everyone looked down the hill to where the joint demon-Elven encampment was set up. The glows of a few campfires lit up the lip of the hill while a few sentries lazily milled about.

"All right, what's the plan?" Noelle asked as she peeked again over the lip of the ridge.

Kara grimaced as she turned to the others, "A direct attack would be unwise. The encampment is heavily guarded and the prisoners are out in the open. They'll be exposed to greater risk."

"What if we hit them from different sides and split their forces apart?" Connor suggested. We can use the darkness and terrain to our advantage."

Joe gave a grim smile, "I like it. Okay… Kara and I will start by drawing off the demon troops. Connor, Noelle, and Laura, you three keep the fey forces busy. Kristen, Bishop, Stephen and Quinton will be in charge of getting in and rescuing the hostages."

"It's about time," Stephen grinned as he readied his bow, "Let's get them!"

The knights and Rangers all morphed or summoned their armor and weapons, even Professor Bishop who donned a suit of angelic half plate armor with a red surcoat over it, marking him as the Herald of the Vanguard Rangers. Kristen couldn't help but smile and playfully nudge her old teacher, "It's been a while Professor. It still looks good on you."

Bishop gave an amused snort while Laura began to lead their section of the rescuers around the hills, "Good luck everyone. Let's hope this works."

* * *

Down in the demon camp, the warriors of House Phoenix milled about enjoying the gloomy darkness and chill of the Hinterland woods. The commander Malcaris sat near his tent poking at the hot coals of the fire before looking up in surprise. No sooner had he glanced over was when he heard the panicked cries of his troops while two winged Power Rangers swooped from above and began strafing the camp. Amid the confusion and chaos, the majority of demons scrambled to give chase to the Rangers as they darted off into the fog of the woods.

Meanwhile, at the other side of camp, the Summer, Winter, and Autumn Knights all charged in with weapons and armor at the ready and began to wreak havoc among the startled Elven camp of Spring and Autumn soldiers. Amid the disorder and calamity, the hostage college students all watched in shock from their little pen where they had been corralled. Kayla was the first to look around the campsite in shock, "What… what is going on here?"

Leanansidhe suppressed a smirk as she saw the knights battling their way past the sentries, "I think help just arrived… from the most unusual people."

At the corner of the pen, a demon guard cried out as a silver arrow whistled through the air and struck him in the head. As he crumpled to the dirt, the other demon guard was battered aside by a shield bash from Bishop and felled by a crushing mace blow. While the demons and their fey allies were distracted by the diversion attacks, Kristen raised a protective ward from her staff to shield everyone around her in the area. Quinton rushed in and destroyed the hostage fences with his weapons before starting to cut their bonds. He quickly freed each prisoner until he stopped and stared at the captive Leanansidhe. She raised her hands in a neutral gesture and grimaced, "These are unusual circumstances Spring Knight. You have my solemn word as a fey that I will not harm you or use treachery today."

Quinton glared at her for a moment before giving a nod and cutting her cold iron shackles with his sickle, "I guess the Summer Knight will be glad to hear it."

As Leanansidhe stepped aside, Quinton came to Kayla last and cut her bonds. He took her hands in his and gave a gentle squeeze, "Thank God you're okay. Kayla… I'm here now."

The girl blinked and gave a puzzled look to the knight, "Sorry… have we met?"

"Sort of," Quinton said behind his visor, "There's someone waiting for you back home. I'm here to bring you back to him."

Their tender moment was interrupted as a fresh band of demon troops entered the battle, having returned from a patrol. Stephen fired off several quick shots with his bow and called out, "Heads up everyone! We've got company!"

Kristen hurried to regroup the hostages while Bishop and Stephen moved to block the foot soldiers. At the head of the enemy party, the hulking warrior Gorgoroth had returned and pushed through to met Quinton in battle. "There you are Spring Knight! This time, I'm not going to show you any mercy!"

Quinton growled and locked weapons with the enemy, "Funny, I don't remember asking you for any."

The battle continued to rage as Quinton deflected the demon's great sweeping club blows while using his relative speed and agility to his advantage. As he slipped under the guard of Gorgoroth, Quinton drove his sword into the flank of his foe while hamstringing the demon's thigh with his scythe. Gorgoroth roared in pain and desperately lashed out with a backhand to swat his enemy away. Quinton braced himself and took the blow, rolling to the ground in a stunned heap.

As Quinton shook off the blow and struggled to rise, he realized his helmet had been knocked off, now exposing his face to Kayla who stood staring in shock from the sidelines of the fight. The wounded demon trudged forward and raised his club to land a crushing blow, "This is it Spring Knight… the end."

Before Gorgoroth could wind up completely, a female figure leapt up upon his back and drove a long dagger into the side of his neck. Quinton gaped in shock as Leanansidhe protected him and fixed him with a serious glare, "Hurry Spring Knight. End it now!"

Quinton gave a dumb nod as he swept up his sword and rose to his feet. He surged forward and charged as much Spring Thunder into his weapon as he could before driving it into the chest of his monstrous enemy. Leanansidhe leapt away just in time for the lightning to detonate and incinerate Gorogorth from the inside out. A bright flash of light lit up the woods amid a thundering boom while the demon's club exploded into shrapnel.

Quinton reeled sideways before Kayla rushed to his side and propped him up. "Quinton! Oh my gosh! Are you okay?"

The Spring Knight gave a tired smile and squeezed her hand, "I'm okay… everything is fine now."

Kayla gave a relieved nod and tenderly touched his cheek, gently wiping away some of the dirt, "I had no idea… you… a knight, who came to save me."

"Let's save the reunion for later, huh? We've got to get out of here," Stephen interrupted as he bashed aside the last demon soldier and signaled the others to fall back along with Kristen. As Quinton and Kayla joined them, the other knights disengaged from their own battle with the fey contingent of the camp. While they regrouped, Joe and Kara emerged from the woods and hurried to rejoin their party.

Both Vanguard Rangers had powered down to conserve energy and stopped at the edge of the camp as the other demon commander Malcaris stood in their way. The demon produced his rapier and sneered, "You're not going anywhere Rangers."

"Stand aside demon," Joe said sternly while gripping his own saber, "Your scheme is over."

Malcaris shook his head, "We can always return for more souls, but I won't lose my chance to kill two Rangers. You have no idea how feared and hated you Rangers are among my kind."

"We don't have time for your nonsense," Kara growled as she surged forward and locked blades with the monster. As she skillfully engaged Malcaris in combat, she opened a lane of attack for Joe to make a decisive sword thrust. Instead, the demon shoved her aside and blew a powerful jet of fire from his mouth to ward off his other attacker.

Joe raised his guard to protect himself, but Kara was too fast and interposed herself with her twin scimitars. Her crossed blades absorbed the impact of the fireblast, digging her heels into the ground, until the sheer force twisted her ankle and threw her aside. Despite his surprise at Kara's sudden action to protect him, Joe charged his own saber with fire and brought it around with a powerful slash to the face of the demon. Malcaris howled as the tip of the searing blade raked his face and the force of the blow sent him hurtling backwards into the dark treeline.

As Joe hurried over to help, some of the other knights backtracked to help fend off the joint demon-Elven pursuers. The Red Ranger helped Kara sit up and shook his head, "Kara, what were you thinking just now? You didn't have to do that."

"I made a promise to your wife Claire that I'd protect you, remember?" the Gold Ranger snorted as she took a moment to regain her senses. Kara gave a pained grunt and tried to rise but she fell back to one knee. Noelle immediately rushed forward to beat off the renewed attack of some advancing demons and cover her ally. "Kara, are you okay?"

"A minor sprain I think," she replied with another grunt knowing that it would have been much more severe had she been a normal human, "I'll recover shortly,"

"We don't have the time. We've got to get out of here," Joe said while hurrying over and scooping up his comrade in his arms, "Now it's my turn to look out for you."

Kara gave a mild grumble of protest before nodding her head and letting him carry her. As they fell back with the captured students led by Bishop and Kristen, Connor and Stephen moved to help Noelle cover the retreat against the enemy forces. The Autumn Knight charged up a powerful gust of wind and threw back a squad of Elven soldiers with a swing of her sword as Connor followed up and slashed the ground, erecting a temporary wall of tall flames to slow down their pursuers. From the flank, Stephen sniped a couple demon troops with his bow before charging a shot and firing into the dark skies.

The three knights immediately fell back and retreated with their allies as the arrow burst apart and rained down a deadly hail of silvery energy bolts, killing several more demon soldiers. Meanwhile, at the head of the party, Kristen pushed through the mists of the Hinterland woods to try and reach the portal space which Mr. O'Doyle was waiting to open the way back. She glanced back and saw Professor Bishop and Quinton helping several of the students over some fallen logs and debris while the other knights continued their running battle against their pursuers. As she looked back ahead toward the escape point, Kristen intensified the glowing tip of her staff to light the way and froze when she spotted a new small host of Elven troops from Summer and Winter headed toward them from the opposite direction. To her shock and dismay, she felt despair sinking in her stomach realizing they weren't going to make it to the portal. They had been effectively boxed in.

She halted the rescue party as the forces of Summer and Winter led by Lords Gwydion and Sigurd neared. As they caught up with the head of the party, Joe and Kara stopped and watched with dread as Gwydion drew his sword and slowly stepped forward toward Kristen, "Stand down Sister Bloom. I have no intention to harm a Druid but your allies must all surrender. They are interfering in an important matter to our people."

Kristen shook her head and stood her ground alongside Professor Bishop, "Lord Gwydion… you are someone I trust but you have to understand, I'm looking out for my fellow humans. They are innocent people who shouldn't get caught between the fey and the demons. Neither side has a true claim to these souls."

Sigurd scowled as the demon forces from the rear began to catch up, "That may be, but better them than the Courts sacrificing its own people. Your children there were weak and helpless. If they let themselves be captured so easily, I don't see why we can't do this."

"The Elf Lord is right," the disfigured Malcaris wheezed as he approached from the rear of the demons encircling the rescue party. "To us, they are nothing but property that was taken by force."

From within the ranks of the prisoners, Kayla gave a fearful whimper before Quinton put his arms over the girl to protect her. Connor, Laura, Noelle, and Bishop tensed and tightened the grips of their weapons while Stephen raised his bow and drew back a shot threateningly.

"This is not looking good at all," Laura muttered as she charged her rapier with wintery energy, "We could really use a lot more firepower now."

Kara cleared her throat and gave a nod to Joe as he set her down, then turned to Professor Bishop. In an instant, Bishop summoned a glowing ball of golden light and handed it off to the Ranger. Joe raised the ball of light and transfigured it into a magnificent golden trumpet. He sounded the horn and a clear loud clarion call rang out over the Hinterlands causing the trumpet to erupt into a brilliant burst of celestial fire and light. Where a Ranger once stood was now a magnificent six winged Seraphim angel, clad in runic armor and wreathed in a fiery aura.

Everyone stepped back and shied away in momentary fear at the sight of the brilliant fiery Seraphim angel before them. Only Bishop, Kara, and Kristen remained where they stood, watching calmly while the demons, the faerie warriors, and even the knights backed down in awe. Leanansidhe trembled slightly while Quinton put his arms over a frightened Kayla to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. As the Red Seraphim lit up the Hinterlands with brilliant vibrant light, Joe spoke in a loud thundering voice, channeling the ancient spirit of Archangel Auriel. "Enough! This conflict ends here and now!"

Like a radiant judge, he extended his hand toward the cowering demons and fixed a stern gaze on the severely injured Malcaris, "You demons will relinquish your claim to these mortal souls and end your tithe for this season. I order you to leave this place and return to your realm!"

Malcaris sat up weakly and gave a venomous look while he wheezed, "You arrogant Ranger! You intend to intimidate us and rebuke us into doing your will? House Phoenix will not stand for this treatment."

"We have it on good authority that your house uses its position as tithe collectors to your advantage," Bishop called out loudly, "What if the other demon houses were to learn that your house skims some payment off the top and keeps it for itself? Would you risk even more internal war between your kind?"

Malcaris growled and knew that he had no leverage to fight back against that, "Very well. What am I supposed to tell my superiors for coming back empty handed then?"

"That is not my problem," Joe answered before turning to the faerie soldiers led by Lords Gwydion and Sigurd, "As for you… the fey are to return to your realm and give up your claim to these mortals as well. You will not take innocent humans from Somerset Valley to pay your tithe."

Sigurd clenched his fists and scowled, "You have great power mortal, but you dare speak to us Sidhe lords like that? As if you can tell us what to do?"

The Seraphim spread his six wings and gave off a warning flare from his fiery aura, "I don't answer to you. You're in no position to threaten me."

Gwydion kept a stony expression and stepped forward to ease his Winter counterpart's outrage, "You understand what you're doing? The demons have not been paid. They may attack the Faerie Realm."

Like an angelic arbiter, Joe shook his head and glanced at the demons once more, "Tell your superiors that this tithe has been cancelled. If they attempt to attack the Faerie Realm, I will stand in their way and guarantee the Elves' protection."

Gwydion grimaced before nodding, "That will be satisfactory Ranger. We will withdraw."

Everyone watched in shock as the demons and the fey both retreated back and opened portals, leaving the Hinterlands to the hostages, the knights and their allies. Once both supernatural factions had left, the angel's fiery aura dissipated and the Red Vanguard Ranger floated down, returned to his original human form. Kristen hurried over and helped support the exhausted Ranger. To hold that super-powered form for that long had been physically taxing and expended a great amount of power.

"Now that was badass," Connor said with an impressed smile.

With the forests empty and clear, Laura took one more look around before heading for the pixie beacon. "Come on everyone... Mr. O'Doyle is waiting. I think it's time to go home."

* * *

After having safely crossed back over, the knights, Rangers, and hostages took a moment to breathe after their harrowing ordeal of almost getting sacrificed to the dark powers. As they milled about the glade and chatted, O'Doyle looked to Kristen, "I'll take the students back to my tavern. I can mix a draught for them to drink and fog their memories of the whole event."

Kristen nodded but pointed over toward where Quinton and Kayla stood off to the side, talking quietly and holding hands. She smiled kindly, "If it's okay Sean... maybe make an exception for that one."

Quinton sheepishly smiled again as he continued addressing Kayla after the battle, "Listen Kay... about what I was trying to say the other day, before all this craziness..."

Kayla smiled and put a finger to his lips to silence him, "It's okay Quinton. I had time to think about all that while I was captured... time to think about how good a friend you are to me, about how kindhearted and brave you were... and now this. The answer is yes."

"Yes? To what?" Quinton stammered.

Kayla gave her answer by putting her arms around him and kissing him. As the Spring Knight stood in delirious bliss holding her, he glanced over to see his fellow knights all watching in amusement. Noelle gushed while Laura gave an approving nod and Connor winked, adding a thumbs up.

Before he could go over to speak to Quinton, Leanansidhe walked over slowly toward him and regarded the knight with a curious expression. "Connor... you came for me. You came to help rescue me too?"

"Well... sure," Connor answered, "I mean... if we were friends... if we are friends, then of course I'd come. It's the right thing to do."

"Yes... I suppose you're right," Leanansidhe said still wearing a neutral expression.

Everyone was suddenly cut off as a pack of spriggan soldiers entered the glade along with some lesser Fomorian lieutenants. The one at the lead called out, "Lady Leanansidhe... Lord Balor has sent us to fetch you. He feared something might have happened."

Leanansidhe nodded and gestured for the Fomorian troops to stand down and not attack everyone else. She turned to look at the knights and then to the Summer Knight, "Thank you Connor. It's possible we may be friends... but it doesn't change the fact that we are still enemies. We'll leave in peace today... but we will meet again on the battlefield."

"Next time," Connor agreed solemnly while watching Leanansidhe depart with her armed escorts.

After the Fomorians retreated, O'Doyle clapped his hands, "Well everyone, it's been a long day and I'm sure all of us here can use a drink to settle their nerves. Come with me. I've got just the thing."

* * *

The next day, the knights gathered with the Vanguard Rangers in the pub along with Bishop, Kristen, and Mr. O'Doyle for a debriefing of the rescue mission. Kara had her ankle taped up and was nursing a glass of wine while Joe and Kristen each took a small tumbler of whiskey. Stephen cleared his throat and turned to their older allies, "You know, we really couldn't have pulled all that off without your help over the last couple days. Thank you guys."

"It was our pleasure," Bishop nodded kindly, "I think we got to make a few new friends here and we got to get a chance at kicking demon butts out of college campuses again."

"I don't know about you, but it was a real honor being able to work along side you guys, especially you Professor Bishop," Laura added enthusiastically while holding out one of her books, "Uh... would it be too much to ask for an autograph and pictures?"

Everyone laughed again as Bishop signed the book and let the Winter Knight take some selfies with him, Joe, and Kara.

Noelle was next to pipe up and ask, "So... now that our town is safe again, what are you three going to do?"

"It's best we return home soon, "Kara said after a sip of wine, "We've been away for too long."

"Are you sure it isn't because you might miss the Big Green Ox who's keeping an eye on things back home?" Joe smiled playfully.

Kara gave a mild scowl and gently pushed his shoulder, "For your baby son's sake, I'll spare your life this time."

After another round of laughter died down, Bishop scratched his chin, "I took a little extra time off. I think I may stop in to Boston to visit another colleague of mine. He said he had an extra ticket to a baseball game. The professor reached into his briefcase before putting a White Sox cap on his head.

Kristen cleared her throat and looked to their guests, "Well... I don't know about you, but I was thinking we could all just take one more day to hang out and catch up. It's not like we had a whole lot of time for fun between all the battles."

Joe Hale looked to the smiling faces of the five knights and the hopeful look of his old friend and classmate. He sat back down at the bar with a smile and gestured to Mr. O'Doyle for a refill in his glass, "Well Miss Bloom, even the best lawyer knows when he's got a losing case. Might as well settle and make the best of it, right? Another round for everyone on me Mr. O."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Sorry for the minor delay everyone. I've been really tied up with work, plus this week has been a bit crazy to say the least... especially for those of us here in the US. I really don't like making soapbox speeches here, but I think this is important and has to be said. In the spirit of Neutrality, Forgiveness, and Peace, let's all keep in mind the significance of today's date November 11: Armistice Day.**

 **Today marked the day when the bitter fighting and horrors of World War I stopped, so let's all try to do the same and peacefully reconcile any hard feelings or hostility, no matter which side of the political aisle you might identify with. A team of Power Rangers is made up of many different people with different ways of doing things or seeing the world. That team is only great and successful when each member works together for the good of the whole. That's why I sincerely implore all of us to try and be the same way and work toward the mutual good of our own great country... to Make America Even Better. Thanks for reading and listening everyone. Hope you enjoyed this little crossover.**


	31. A Waking Knightmare

**Episode 16: Part 1  
**

The sounds of chirping birds followed Stephen Gentum-Smith as he made his way through the small garden arboretum of the college. A warm spring breeze touched his cheek while a few freshly blooming patches of flowers swayed gently. Stephen stopped a moment to survey the area and admire the relative peace and tranquility of the place that was set aside for the Botany and Agriculture students. He had to admit, after he and his fellow knights helped the veteran Vanguard Rangers fight off a demon threat and undertake a dangerous rescue mission several weeks ago, the quiet gardens were a nice respite. Unlike the dead and dreary grays of the frightening Hinterlands, the soft warm greens of the grass and the colorful flowers was a welcome sight.

The Silver Knight continued on until he reached a small rocky grotto built into the garden landscape. As he reached the edge of the quiet grotto, he set down the parcel that he was carrying and laid out a container of small baked cakes and packets of fresh honey. After doing so, he sat quietly amid the light of the early evening and let his mind drift a little bit, wondering if this plan would actually work.

Since joining the other Hibernian Knights, Stephen had not had a lot of time to consider his apparent fey heritage. Assuming the words of the Fey Dukes in the Court of Stars was true, it bothered Stephen to know that his biological father might be somewhere out there, either roaming the natural world, or perhaps even the Faerie Realm. As much as he hated to admit it, he kinda understood how Connor had been feeling in regards to his lost friend. He understood the anxiety about having some of those nagging questions and uncertainty about fey connections still hanging over one's head. That was why he was hoping to commune with any Elves or faeries in the area in order to gain more information. In the past, the knights' Druid mentor Kristen Bloom had off-handedly mentioned some ways to attract faeries in her lessons to them and he hoped making some offerings in a place of natural beauty would do the trick.

As he sat and waited silently for several long minutes, he finally sat up with a discouraged sigh before heading home. Dinner would be served soon at the dormitory and he wasn't quite looking forward to it. Noelle had mentioned that Beef Stroganoff was on the cafeteria menu and for a moment, he debated whether or not he should just eat the honey and cupcakes he brought to the grotto instead. Then again, he was a broke college student and beggars couldn't be choosers.

In the fading light of the day, Stephen didn't notice as a pale feminine figure materialized out of the dusk and approached the grotto while his back was turned. The woman's skin was as fair as moonlight and a long deep purple robe hung off her, flowing in the breeze as she approached the grotto. As she bent down to examine the offering, she brushed aside a long strand of her flowing raven black hair and smiled. It was a good offering from the mortal and she had been fortunate enough to be passing through and notice the act. Perhaps she would stay and stir up some mischief here in Somerset Valley. Perhaps if she did, she might extract another offering… perhaps one of appeasement.

* * *

The next day, Stephen sat in the packed lecture hall of his Business Calculus course and idly tapped his pencil on his notebook, trying to ward off the overwhelming feeling of boredom that had fallen over the students. Granted, there really wasn't any way to make calculating slopes and curves of economic trend lines thrilling, but Professor Ahmad had always had a unique talent at making it even more dull. While the older Middle Eastern teacher continued to drone on, Stephen glanced around and saw some of his fellow classmates nearby beginning to nod off.

He couldn't blame them. If it were up to him, he'd rather be outside releasing some of his restless pent-up energy. Before he could turn back to his notes, he stopped as he noticed something peculiar begin to happen in the large auditorium. Professor Ahmad's speech began to grow softer and more drawn out while he slurred his words. After stopping to give a big yawn, Stephen's teacher shuffled over to his podium and put his head down gently, as if he were taking a nap.

The Silver Knight frowned and sat up, suddenly becoming more alert. To his shock, he looked around the room and saw all his fellow classmates close their eyes and fall asleep in their own seats. What the heck was going on here? It was late morning so there was no possible way everyone could be this tired.

Stephen stood up and looked about the room, finding that he was the only one awake before he spotted a fluttering dress float by overhead and land on the auditorium stage in front of him. She was a graceful young woman with a lithe form and beautiful features. As she levitated down, her purple robes and black hair wavered in the air before she turned to give an amused smile toward him, "Ah… this is interesting. A human that is immune to sleeping enchantments. Are you a faerie too?"

Stephen blinked in astonishment before shaking his head, "I'm Stephen, the Knight of the Court of Stars. Who are you? What have you done?"

The faerie woman smiled and pranced lightly around the stage, "Me? Why I'm Aisling… a lady of the twilight and member of the Gloaming Fey."

"Gloaming Fey? I've never heard of them," Stephen replied as he wrinkled his nose.

Aisling laughed, "Faeries of Twilight. We are part of the Wylde Fey… beings who are free... unaligned with the petty squabbling and politics of the Four Courts. Surely a knight as accomplished as yourself should know, yes?"

The Silver Knight grimaced, "Whatever… why are you here and what have you done to my class?"

Aisling gave a bored look and gently pushed the snoring professor over. Despite falling to the floor, the professor remained in his deep sleep, "Oh don't worry. I just put everyone to sleep. I thought I'd have a little fun around here."

"Why?"

The faerie smirked again, "You should know… after all, you enticed me to come. I took your offering at the grotto yesterday night. It was a good gift and I thought it was delicious!"

Stephen halted and looked about in uncertainty before taking a breath, "I wanted to try and commune with you faeries. Please, I just want to talk because I have some important questions. I also want to ask that you not do this to the innocent people on campus."

The faerie tapped her finger to her lip and gave a sly smirk, "Hmm… I think not Sir Knight. Perhaps we'll make sport of it first? I think I'll speak with you… but only if you can catch me."

Before he could react, Aisling darted from the stage and phased through the wall. As she disappeared from the auditorium, she left Stephen all alone among his sleeping colleagues. The Silver Knight took a moment to try and process the shocking events of what just happened before he tried to shake awake some of his sleeping classmates beside him. Unfortunately, the effort was to no avail and all of the victims remained stuck in their deep slumber. As he pondered what to do next, he whirled around when he heard the auditorium room doors fly open and reveal the faces of his other four comrades.

Laura was the first to rush in and look around, "Stephen… we've got trouble! A possible Fomorian has been going around putting students and townspeople into a magic sleep. Some woman in purple robes?"

"I just saw her but she's not a Fomorian," Stephen exclaimed while gesturing to the comatose lecture hall.

Connor eyed the room for a moment before giving a mild snigger of amusement, "Geez… and I thought my professors were boring."

Noelle elbowed him in the side and shook her head at the wise-crack before Stephen waved his comrades out the door to follow him, "Come on everyone! She couldn't have gotten far!"

Upon rushing out of the room and down the front stairs of the auditorium building, the five knights skidded to a halt when they caught sight of several fellow students fainting on the main quad and falling asleep. An ephemeral twinkling dust floated through the air causing anyone it came into contact with to grow drowsy. Standing in the middle of the university parkway was the twilight faerie maiden waving what looked to be a little crystal wand which produced the dust.

The knights carefully approached and watched as Aisling turned around with an amused smile and looked to Stephen, "Wonderful! You brought some more friends to play. Common mortals I take it?"

"We're not just any mortals," Connor replied prompting the others to ready their rings and gauntlet, "We're the ones who keep the peace around here by the authority of the Four Courts!"

"The Four Courts? Oh bother. They are such a bore," Aisling replied with an unimpressed yawn as the five young people summoned their weapons and armor in a flash of colorful light and fey magic. As they readied for battle, Laura leveled her rapier.

"This is your last chance. Give up and lift your sleeping spell on campus town... or we'll have to insist."

Aisling laughed and levitated in the air, sweeping back and forth, "Oh my... such a daring boast from such a regal girl. I'm afraid my answer is still no."

"What is her problem?' Noelle frowned in confusion while she readied her own curved sword, "Doesn't she answer to any of the Courts?"

Stephen shook his head and drew back a silver arrow from his bow, "No. She's a Wylde Fey... they're unaligned. She thinks this is all just a big game."

"So what's the game plan then?" Quinton asked hesitantly.

The Silver Knight concentrated on keeping Aisling in his sights, "If what she said is right, we've got to tag her with our weapons or maybe trap her?"

Connor nodded in understanding before waving the team to regroup, "Okay then. Here's the play. Laura and Quinton with me on a three man rush. Noelle and Stephen, get ready to split out wide."

The Winter Knight raised a perplexed eyebrow and scratched her head, "What on earth are you talking about Walsh?"

"It's American football lingo. Just roll with us," Quinton sighed as he and Connor rushed forward to attack.

Aisling giggled in amusement and swiftly dodged several quick arrow shots by Stephen along with the thrown sword of Noelle carried by a gust of her Autumn Wind powers. As the ephemeral faerie woman danced in midair, she swooped down with sudden speed and surprised the other three advancing knights who had their melee weapons drawn. No sooner had they reached her, the faerie dissipated in a burst of glittering dust.

Having been at the forefront of the attack, Connor caught the dust head on and sputtered for a moment before dropping his sword and slowly stumbling sideways. To everyone's shock, the Summer Knight collapsed onto the grass and his armor dispelled, leaving Connor sleeping peacefully on the ground.

"What... what the heck just happened? Where did she go?" Laura exclaimed as everyone looked around in mind panic.

As if she was answering the question, the lady of twilight appeared again swooping in circles around the remaining knights laughing, "You can't catch what you can't see. Is this real or is it all just a dream?"

As the faerie moved about swiftly, her image blurred in the light leaving doubles and after-images to confuse and disorient the knights. Stephen fired a few more arrows hitting some of the illusory doubles and causing them to fade while Noelle and Laura took a few cuts at the others. As they fended off the mirror images, Quinton bent down to check on the sleeping Connor to make sure he was safe before turning in surprise to see the real Aisling standing right behind him.

"Sweet dreams Sir Knight!" the faerie called as she tapped the startled Spring Knight on the head with her wand covering him in another cloud of sleeping dust. As Laura spun around in alarm to see Quinton suffer the same fate, she charged her sword full of Winter Ice and swept it out in a wide swath.

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous! I've had enough of these games!"

The icy wave of debilitating wintry energy swept across the battlefield momentarily while slowing down the movements of all the combatants present. Despite the heavy feelings in his arm muscles, Stephen scanned the field with his sharp eyes and spotted the real form Aisling phase in to reality and recover her bearings. The Silver Knight struggled to raise his bow and fire a hasty shot but the effects of the wintry magic hindered his own aim.

Stephen's next shot sailed slightly off target and grazed the leg of the twilight faerie. Aisling sucked in a breath and frowned slightly, now that her game was ruined, "Well... that wasn't very nice. We'll just play again later!"

With that, she swept her robe around and disappeared in a cloud of faerie dust that swept back across the field and rushed over the Silver Knight. As Aisling made her escape, Stephen shook off the dust and pounded his fist in irritation, "Damn! I almost got her! I can't believe I missed!"

Laura simply lowered her sword and shook her head in wonder, "Stephen... are you feeling all right? You just got sprayed by a cloud of that sleeping dust."

Stephen looked around and shrugged. Now that he stopped and thought about it, it was a bit odd why he hadn't been affected by the faerie's enchantments, "Well... yeah. I think so. I don't feel any different."

Noelle strode past him and bent down in concern to examine the sleeping forms of her other two male friends. "We can let Kristen figure that out later. For now, let's get Connor and Quinton to the shop to see if she can do anything for them. Laura? Stephen? Can I get a hand?"

Using the ceremonial hunting horn given to her by the Erlking, the Autumn Knight summoned some of their faerie riding horses in hopes they could help carry their enchanted companions. As Stephen stepped forward to try and help the others, he cast one more long glance out over the quad where several more cursed students lay sleeping and he felt a pang of guilt. Part of him couldn't help but think that this was partially his fault. If he hadn't been selfish and reckless in trying to call upon the faeries, this curse wouldn't be spreading around Somerset Valley. For now, the Silver Knight could only wonder if the situation would get any worse and if he should even tell his friends what he had done. For now, Stephen Gentum-Smith had to figure out how to make this right, not only for himself but for everyone around him too.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the gloomy depths of the Underworld, the sorceress and field commander of the Fomorian Host made her way into the Great Hall of her warlord master. Upon entering the dimply lit cavern, Leanansidhe spotted the intimidating form of Lord Balor sitting at his table alone and drinking a great goblet of mead. As she approached hesitantly, the warlord turned his baleful eyes toward her: one of which was a magic glowing one burning with malevolent hellish energy. The sorceress stopped and cleared her throat, "Lord Balor... I bring you news from your scouts in Somerset Valley."

The warlord kept his eyes fixed on her while wearing an inscrutable look. He waited patiently for her to continue, then took a great swig of his drink. Leanansidhe nodded and sighed, "It would appear that one of the Gloaming Fey, and a powerful one at that has stopped into the valley. It would seem that she's wreaking a bit of havoc and causing scores of people to fall into enchanted sleep. I have it on good word that at least two of the knights have fallen victim to the spell.

Upon hearing that, a thin smile slowly formed on Balor's lips. He leaned back in his big oaken seat and wiped his mouth, "Very good Leanansidhe. We shall use this to our advantage. While the valley's defenders are in disarray and its people are falling asleep, we'll march our troops in and take the town without a fight. Gather a force together and see to it."

Leanansidhe bowed her head and made her way from the hall, "As you wish Lord Balor."

It was unusual for such a fortunate break to arise for Balor's forces. While she wasn't quite sure what to expect with a Wylde Fey running loose in the valley, Leanansidhe decided she would take advantage of this opportunity and make the most of it.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Aisling: the Irish word for "Dream"**


	32. Perchance to Dream

**Episode 16: Part 2  
**

Later that afternoon, the remaining knights made their way into town and regrouped in the shop of their Druid mentor. After setting down Connor and Quinton on a nearby couch, the others recounted their run in with the wild fey woman named Lady Aisling. After finishing their tale, Kristen turned toward Stephen and pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, "I still can't believe it Stephen. What were you thinking? That was reckless, and dangerous…"

"And stupid," Laura chimed in earning a reproving frown from Kristen, "What? Connor and Quinton are still out cold."

The older Druid sighed and crossed her arms, "Be that as it may, we're going to have to find a way to deal with this lady of the Gloaming Fey… and we'll need to do it quickly. With more townsfolk being put to sleep by the hour and two knights already out of commission, we're going to be very vulnerable if the Fomorians decide to launch another attack."

Laura's features hardened before she grimaced slightly, "If that happens, Noelle and I can stand and hold the line. If this Aisling character is playing with Stephen, then he's probably the best person to take her on."

"That's probably a good idea," Noelle agreed as she watched over the sleeping forms of Connor and Quinton, "Stephen didn't seem to be affected by the magic dust or the enchantments that Lady Aisling was using. Why that is, I'm still not too sure."

Kristen paced about the room and scratched her chin, "I suppose that makes some sense. Stephen is half-fey remember? Theoretically, his unique heritage should make him a little more resistant or immune to such powers. It just so happens that sleeping spells and illusions are specialties of the Gloaming Fey so we're in luck."

While Kristen continued to pace, the little gargoyle Scratch clambered up the side of the couch and curiously pulled upon Quinton's eyelids seeing if he could get a reaction. On the other side of the couch, the shop's other pet gargoyle Yum-Yum sat upon Connor's chest and gently poked at the Summer Knight's face trying to wake him up.

Stephen watched as Noelle shook her head and grabbed both of the little creatures to prevent them from causing any more mischief before he turned back to Kristen, "If I'm going to have to pick a fight with Lady Aisling again, I'm going to have to figure out where she is. For all we know, she could be anywhere right now."

Kristen nodded sagely before reaching behind her counter and digging for some helpful magic items she had stowed away. After a minute of digging, she finally produced a small decorated hoop with finely crafted carvings along the edge. Inside the hoop were fine mesh strings that interwove with each other forming the pattern of the budding flower.

"Wow, it's so pretty. What is that thing?" Laura asked as she studied the object.

Kristen smiled and held the object over the two sleeping knights and began waving it around gently, "This is a Pixie Dreamcatcher. It's made from a special silk with magic properties. I'm hoping that Connor and Quinton here might be able to shed some light on the situation."

The other three exchanged puzzled looks before Noelle piped up, "How are they supposed to do that?"

The Druid smiled and headed back to her store counter. "Once I get some water boiling, I'll show you."

Soon enough, she had boiled some water in the kitchen and returned to her young charges that waited expectantly. They gathered around curiously while Kristen snipped a few pieces of the Dreamcatcher's silk string with scissors and dropped it in the water. As she began to stir the water, the silk dissolved and evaporated into large rippling clouds of steam.

They continued to watch as the steam cloud coalesced and began to show some slightly fuzzy moving images. As the vision grew clearer, they could make out the form of Quinton flying down the streets of the university campus on his skateboard until he reached the arboretum. He veered down one of the unpaved walking paths that sloped downhill to keep up his momentum and all the while he wore a big grin and laughed. After coasting fearlessly down the hill, he used his momentum to zoom toward the natural grotto that Steven had been at. With one more joyful laugh, Quinton zoomed up some flat stones acting as a miniature ramp which caused him to fly though the air.

"What is all this?" Laura asked in wonder. "Is this one of Quinton's memories or something?"

"One of his idle dreams actually," Kristen said while stirring the bowl again, "The magic silks catch the dreams of people and allow you to glimpse some of the things they think about. In this case, Quinton must be wondering how fun it must be to board down that path and attempt the jump."

"What does it have to do with finding Aisling?" Stephen asked.

"Because she's casting a universal sleeping enchantment over the people of the valley, there might be some common threads between all the victims. Hopefully the locations of the dream will be common to where she presently is."

Moments later a new dream image materialized and the familiar stones and flowers of the same grotto appeared. This time, Connor could be seen walking along one of the arboretum's gravel paths holding two ice cream cones. He approached a wooden bench where Noelle sat waiting with a smile. As he sat down and joined her on the bench, he handed her one of the cones and they began chatting and laughing, simply enjoying the peace and quiet of the warm sunny day.

As she watched the dream, Noelle felt her cheeks grow a little warm and she glanced over to see her two fellow knights watching in amusement until Kristen shook the bowl and swept away the visuals. Noelle gave a disappointed sigh before Kristen cleared her throat authoritatively, "Well… I think it's safe to say that the common thread running through these dreams is back at the grotto. Steven, if you're going to find Aisling, that's probably the best place to start. Laura and Noelle, in the meantime you'll probably want to…."

She was interrupted as her shop phone rang. Kristen checked the caller ID and immediately picked it up, "Crap… I knew this was going to happen!"

She put down the phone and looked to the two girls, "You two will probably want to halt the newest Fomorian attack. Mr. O'Doyle just said the monsters have been sighted approaching from the east edge of the town."

Laura nodded and prepared to rush out the door, "We're on top of it. Stephen… are you sure you're going to be okay by yourself?"

The Silver Knight looked thoughtfully toward the discarded Dreamcatcher on the table before giving a small nod. "Yeah… now that I thought about it, Kristen's Dreamcatcher just gave me a great idea of how to stop Aisling. Do you have a small iron chain I can use? I'll need you to enchant it for me too."

The Druid gave a puzzled frown before she nodded and rummaged around for the item in her shop. She finally pulled out a small metal chain that she used to lock chests and whispered a few old Celtic words upon it before handing the link to Stephen.

As the three students charged out the door to confront the numerous invaders wreaking calamity on the town, Kristen looked to the other two knights still sleeping on the couch. She could only hope whatever Stephen's plan was, that it would be enough to undo the situation before it was too late.

* * *

A while later, Stephen made his way down the familiar gravel walking path of the arboretum until he reached the flower covered edge of the little grotto. He had already passed several students and faculty members who had been enchanted along the way and lay sleeping on the ground. Fortunately it had been a warm Spring day and being left on the grassy sidewalks in such a state wasn't too hazardous to the victims.

Stephen stopped before the cove and pulled his archer's bracer using it to transform into the Silver Knight before he stood and waited quietly with his bow in hand. After a few long minutes of silence punctuated only by the occasional chirping of birds, Stephen turned as he heard the familiar voice of Lady Aisling from behind.

"You're back Sir Stephen! Come to make another offering? Or perhaps you want to play again?"

Stephen narrowed his eyes and gripped his bow, "I've come to stop you… and to reverse all the trouble you've caused to the town."

The twilight fey woman shook her head with a smile, "Now… now… you remember the rules of our little game. If you can stop me, I'll answer your questions and set things straight."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Stephen retorted as he swiftly raised his bow and fired a shot at the faerie.

Ailsing quickly evaded the arrow and darted about with a taunting laugh as Stephen fired a few more shots which streaked by harmlessly. "You'll have to do better than that mortal!"

Stephen juked and dodged as the faerie called upon mirror images of herself and encircled him. Despite his immunity to the magic dust, the circle of Aislings all tossed a cloud of the sleeping powder upon him to stun and disorient him further. Instead, the Silver Knight made an unexpected evasive maneuver. He threw himself sideways out of the circle in a rolling somersault.

As Stephen rolled sideways, he drew back another shot and charged some extra power into his bow. Upon tumbling back to one knee, the Silver Knight caught his foe off guard and aimed his bow toward her and her clones. Aisling halted in surprise at seeing the brilliantly glowing arrowhead that formed from the weapon while Stephen fastened the enchanted chain to the tail end of his arrow. Stephen fired and the arrow surged forward whistling through the air before it burst apart in its signature scattershot pattern except this time the tails of the arrows all remained connected in what looked to be a chain linked net.

Aisling gasped as the cloud of arrows whizzed by her, only for her to be snared in the resulting magic net trailing behind it. Stephen smirked triumphantly as the faerie woman fell over on the ground, tangled in the iron chains which neutralized her powers. She struggled for a few moments before letting up and giving a grumble. "No! What have you done?"

"I made a little Dreamcatcher of my own," the knight retorted as he loomed over her and drew his short sword, forcing her to yield. "And it seems I've finally caught you. Now about that bargain?"

Aisling stopped struggling and gave a pout before she quietly nodded her head. "I did give my word, didn't I Sir Stephen? I suppose it's only right that I keep it, especially considering I am at your mercy."

Stephen used his sword to carefully cut the bonds and free the faerie from the chain net. As she rose, she dusted herself off and gave a placating gesture, "Once we are done here, I will lift the sleeping spell on the people of the valley. Now… you said you had some questions?"

Stephen bit his lip thinking about how Laura and Noelle were most likely fighting a desperate battle against the invading Fomorians right now so he didn't have a lot of time to chat. He took a few steadying breaths and nodded, "The Court of Stars has begun forming to stop the threat of Balor. Before they made me a knight, they said I had some fey heritage on my father's side. I know I was adopted when I was a baby, but I wanted to know if anyone had information about him."

Aisling regarded him thoughtfully before giving him a nod and reaching to touch his face, "May I? I will not harm you."

Stephen nodded and let the faerie remove his helmet then touch his check. She studied his face for a long moment as if she were getting some magical sense of him before she let go. "He was a Winter fey… a proud and powerful one. I can sense it in your bearing. Beyond that, I'm afraid I can't tell much else."

Stephen nodded, "Do you know any other knights or nobles of the Winter Court? Someone else I can talk to about this?"

Aisling shook her head, "I do not personally associate with any Winter nobility… though it may be unwise to go seeking out the fey as you have done."

Stephen nodded and gave a discouraged sigh before Aisling put a gentle hand on his shoulder, "I don't know if this will be of any interest to you, but I did know of a prominent hero of the Winter Court by the name of Sir Tanrys who was banished into exile many years ago for some unknown charge. Perhaps he might be willing to help... if you can even find him.

A moment passed before the faerie woman drew back, "I am sorry I can't be of more help to you Sir Knight."

Stephen nodded thoughtfully before giving Aisling a sly smile, "Well… that might not be exactly true. Maybe there is one more little way that you can help."

* * *

Meanwhile, a fierce battle raged on the east edge of the town. Panic swept the residential area as a large number of spriggan troops swarmed the area. Many civilians fled back into the homes in terror as the Fomorian foot soldiers smashed windows and looted some of the homeowners' yards. In the middle of the wide street, Laura and Noelle rode their faerie horses through the thick of the fight, desperately swinging their blades to strike down enemy soldiers who got in their way. Despite the best efforts of the two armored female knights, they were surrounded on all sides and knee deep in enemy forces.

"This is getting a little hairy Laura. I think we'll need help soon," Noelle shouted as she punched aside an enemy and swept the rest away with an orange wind gust. The Winter Knight lanced an enemy with her rapier before wheeling her mount around and trampling a few more spriggans.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I think you might be right!"

Just then, the horde of spriggans backed off but maintained their formation to encircle the two girls. From their ranks, Leanansidhe made her way forward with her sword drawn. The Fomorian commander ambled forward and gave a relaxed smile at the scene. "Well... this is a bit disappointing. I was hoping we would get more of a fight today."

"Don't be so sure," Noelle growled as she gripped her blade and rose to the challenge, "We'll give you plenty of it."

"No doubt," Leanansidhe sighed, "Actually, I was hoping I'd see my old friend again... so that we could finish our business here on the battlefield."

The Fomorian was silenced as a silver arrow whistled onto the scene and landed at her feet to halt her. That was when she heard another male voice, "Sorry Leanansidhe, you're going to have to take a rain check on that."

The sorceress looked up to see Stephen standing on the roof of a nearby house. The Silver Knight stood confidently and drew back another shot with his bow in warning.

"Stephen! Perfect timing!" Laura cheered as she gave a happy wave with her sword.

The Fomorian sorceress sneered toward Stephen, "You do realize the problem you still have here Sir Knight. There are only three of you and you've still got to fight your way through all my troops here."

The Silver Knight shook his head, "No. I don't have to fight your troops to defeat you. I just need to keep them from fighting. Lady Aisling?"

As Stephen snapped his fingers, the familiar sight of the Gloaming Fey woman winked onto the scene and quickly began to swoop through the spriggan ranks enchanting them with a new sleeping spell tailored to affect faerie folk. In a flash, Leanansidhe watched in shock as rows of her foot soldiers wavered and collapsed to the pavement in scores. Weapons and shields clattered to the ground as the spriggans fainted and began snoring loudly.

From where they sat mounted on their horses, Noelle and Laura laughed aloud as they watched their enemies scramble in confusion. Those who weren't falling asleep began to turn and flee in disorder despite the threats from their own commander.

"No! What are you doing! Stay and fight you useless cowards!" Leanasidhe fumed as she was jostled about by her own fleeing troops. Stephen smiled and shook his head before he began firing several shots to pick off fleeing spriggans. In a rage, Leanansidhe took on her smokey green form and swept about the battlefield, scooping up the sleeping Fomorians in her wake before retreating from the field.

As Lady Aisling circled back around in midair, she saw the streets were now completely empty of the enemy before she turned to Stephen. The Silver Knight gave her a thumbs up and the faerie woman nodded before winking out of the area and releasing a great burst of golden dust that filled the air.

"What... what is going on?" Laura asked in confusion as Stephen got down off his perch and joined them.

He shrugged, "I imagine Lady Aisling is undoing her sleeping enchantment in the valley before going on her way."

"Uh... what happened exactly?" Noelle asked in wonder, "How did you get her to work with you just now?"

Stephen smiled and turned back toward town, "It's a long story. Let's head back to the shop to check on the others. I'll tell you along the way."

* * *

Later that evening, the knights returned to Kristen's shop and to their relief found that Connor and Quinton had fully recovered from their affliction. Not surprisingly, the two where a little disoriented and confused while Stephen sat and recounted the events of the day for them. As Laura helped Quinton rise slowly to his feet, the Spring Knight sighed, "Wow... I can't believe we've been out all day. I've been sleeping for hours and I'm still exhausted."

"Quite. It seems you two were sleeping on the job and making the rest of us save the day... again," Laura chuckled while giving him a gentle poke in the ribs.

As Kristen smiled and closed up her shop, she looked to Stephen and shrugged, "You know... it's too bad that you didn't get all the answers that you were looking for Stephen. Still... I'm sure it's nice to know that you might have come from a strong noble line of Winter."

"Yeah," Stephen nodded quietly, "It is good to know a little more, but it still doesn't excuse the fact that I did something really stupid. I took a big risk and almost caused a disaster here in town for everyone, including you guys. I am sorry about that."

Kristen nodded slowly and patted his shoulder encouragingly, "Well... no lasting harm done and the important thing is you made it right. Stephen, you should know that you don't have to go about looking for answers by yourself. We're all here to help you too."

She was right. Although Stephen had always been kind of a loner by nature and not used to actually having friends, there was no arguing that he could trust his fellow teammates. It was a strange, yet reassuring feeling. He smiled and gave a quiet contrite nod, "Thanks Kristen."

The Druid gave a tired yawn herself and sat down in her own favorite armchair, "Now... if that's all settled, why don't you kids head out and get something to eat. It's almost dinner and I could use a little nap myself. It's been a long day."

"Sounds good," Noelle replied before turning to the Summer Knight, "You guys wouldn't want to head over to the pub for a meal tonight, do you?"

"I guess that's fine," Connor yawned tiredly, "Is there something in particular you were wanting to eat there?"

The Autumn Knight gave a sheepish smile and shrugged, "Well... to be honest, I kinda had a taste for some ice cream later."

"Huh... that's odd. I could actually go for some too," Connor said absently while he rubbed his eyes and headed out the door.

Quinton shot the others a confused look while Noelle grabbed him and quickly pushed him out the door after Connor. As she watched the scene, Laura sighed and shook her head with an amused smirk before she stopped halfway to the door. She turned and gave an expectant look to the Silver Knight. "Stephen? Are you coming to the pub with us?"

Stephen hesitated for a moment before giving a small smile to himself, "I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else."


	33. The Wandering Minstrel

**Episode 17: Part 1  
**

Deep in the dark desolate caverns of the Underworld, the one eyed king of the Fomorian Host made his way toward the reflecting waters of a dark underground spring. As he made his way toward the pool, he saw several spriggans along with Leanansidhe waiting patiently for him. The warlord stepped before the pond and eyed the waters before turning to his general, "Why have you called me here? What is so important that it requires my immediate attention?"

Leanansidhe cleared her throat and held a torch over the dark pond, "One of your warriors, a captain in one of the companies has gone rogue. He's taken a small band of Fomorians with him and now means to contact you via the pool."

Balor clenched his fists furiously, "Who dares to desert from my war host? I swear, I'll have that traitor's bloody skull mounted on a pike!"

"There's no need for that my lord," came a voice from the pool as an image appeared and magic contact was made. "When you hear what I have to report, you may very well do the exact opposite."

Balor looked down into the torch lit waters and saw the face of one of his best warriors. The Fomorian was a pale skinned faerie who had the surprising appearance of an Elf. The handsome warrior with long pale gold hair and fair features smiled back and tipped the end of the dark blood red cap that he wore on his head.

"Seamus Killarny... this is a surprise," the warlord snorted in derision. Give me one reason I shouldn't tear you apart and feed your entrails to my hounds."

The red capped fey known as Seamus calmly smiled again, "My lord, seeing as how your current general Lady Leanansidhe has been ineffective of late, I've decided to take matters into my own hands... to take personal initiative if you will."

Leanansidhe snarled quietly at the insult, "You've been acting without orders. What have you done Seamus?"

Seamus reached down and brought a magnificent jewel encrusted harp made of gold into view, "My band of warriors and I have raided the territory of Spring in the Faerie Realm and we've recaptured this ancient artifact."

Balor froze and his good eye went very wide for a moment, "I can't believe it... the Harp of Daghda!"

Seamus grinned, "Indeed my lord. We stole it from the museum vault that it was being kept in and now we intend to use it."

"And what do you plan to do? Lead a revolution against me?" Balor snorted in contempt.

Seamus waved it off, "Perish the thought Lord Balor. No. I wanted to give this gift over to you. To prove my worth and to request a promotion to the rank of general."

Balor stopped to consider the offer for a moment. As much as he hated to admit it, that had been an impressive feat. Capturing the legendary Harp of Daghda from the Spring Court could not have been an easy task. As he remained silent and pondered the situation, Leanansidhe turned to him in outrage, "Lord Balor, you can't seriously be considering his request... are you?"

Balor finally crossed his arms and gave the hint of an amused smile, "Very well Seamus. I will consider your offer, but first I want you to give a little demonstration of the harp's power so that I know it's authentic and that you aren't trying to deceive me. I want you to go and take your harp into battle. There you will test it against the defenders of Somerset Valley. When I am satisfied, we can talk about your new position."

"I'm glad we could come to a mutual understanding my lord. I will do so at once," Seamus replied with a gracious bow before ending the spell and cutting off contact. When the image faded, Balor nodded in satisfaction and turned to depart that cavern. While he walked, Leanansidhe hurried beside him with a troubled look.

"Lord Balor. I urge you to reconsider. Please tell me you aren't actually going to humor Seamus."

Balor snorted and continued to walk along, "You aren't fearing some competition for your authority, are you?"

Leanansidhe frowned, "I'm referring to that redcap's nature. We can't trust him. He's treacherous, wild, and most of all bloodthirsty. He's killed countless people for sheer sport."

Balor laughed again and waved it off while he passed the sorceress, "That may be true, but his ruthlessness and daring has proven effective. If we hope to defeat those knights, we're going to need the services of someone like him along with the possible powers of that magic harp."

Leanansidhe gave a deflated huff and remained silent while watching her master head off into the gloom of the tunnels ahead. She could only hope that Balor would not wind up regretting that decision.

* * *

Bright warm sunlight lit up the college campus of Somerset Valley University. By now the Spring flowers were in full bloom and the grass was a vibrant green again. A hint of those fragrances hung in the air and tickled the nose of Noelle Moreau as she made her way back to her dormitory from the gym one Saturday morning. She carried a small gym bag containing an extra change of clothes from her martial arts lessons which she had taken up earlier in the year. She had begun taking the hobby up when she was a senior in high school and chose to continue doing it into college. She was glad that she did, especially now that she had taken on the extra part-time job of fighting off various supernatural threats to her hometown.

Noelle continued on her way down one of the walkways until she stopped in surprise. Just up ahead, she spotted her Druid mentor Kristen Bloom on the front yard of one of the Science buildings. The normally professional looking young woman was dressed down to a plain green t-shirt and faded blue jeans with her long dark brown hair tied up messily. As Noelle approached, she saw Kristen was busy planting flowers in the dirt and trimming some of the shrubbery.

"Hey Kristen! What are you doing out here today?" the Autumn Knight asked curiously.

The Druid turned and gave a smile as she wiped some sweat and grime from her brow, "Noelle! Hi! I'm just doing a little volunteer work for fun today. Around this time of year, the university is always looking for some extra help in maintaining the grounds and doing beautification projects so I always pitch in."

"Wow. You actually think doing volunteer yard work is fun?" Noelle asked in amusement as she sat down on the building's stone steps nearby.

Kristen pulled off her work gloves and shrugged, "Ever since I was a little girl, I'd always help my mom do work in the garden. I guess it's just in the blood."

"You usually look so put together and professional with your business and all, "Noelle laughed gently, "I guess I never really pegged you as the gardening type."

Kristen smiled and picked up a small garden spade before giving Noelle a wink, "I'm a Druid remember? We're all about helping things grow and flower... including young knights."

Before Noelle could reply, she heard her name called from across the lawn and looked up to see the familiar face of her schoolmate Eliza McConnel hurry over. The young dark haired woman gave a friendly wave and smile as she approached. "Hey Noelle! I was just passing through and thought I saw you across the way. If you were headed back home, did you wanna grab some lunch together?"

"Sure Eliza. That sounds great," Noelle answered as she gave a wave goodbye to Kristen and began to continue on her way home.

The two girls walked along the parkways of the campus and began to chat. As they passed another lecture hall, Eliza gave a wave to one of her fellow music students who was sitting out on the front steps enjoying the day and idly strumming his guitar. Turning back to Noelle, Eliza gave a thoughtful look, "It's really cool that you're still doing martial arts and learning a bunch of new moves in your class. I'm kinda doing the same thing right now too."

"They teach you how to punch people out in your music lessons?" Noelle teased gently.

"I'm afraid not," Eliza chuckled, "Actually I meant I'm experimenting with some new sounds and trying to learn some new instruments. Right now, I was playing around with an old harp the music department had lying around in storage."

Noelle grinned, "That's kind of a surprise. I'm so used to seeing you play either lively Irish folk music or modern rock tunes on your guitar."

Eliza laughed, "To be fair, I also find it hard to believe that sweet and mild mannered Noelle knows several ways to put someone in the hospital if they try to throw a punch at you."

The two girls laughed again as the Autumn Knight shrugged, "Well... you've got me there. I..."

She was cut off as she heard the panicked shouts of students. They weren't very far from their dorm but the calamity sounded like it was coming in the opposite direction where a small meadow lay at the edge of a forest preserve. Students often liked to use the area for pickup games of football, frisbee, or soccer but today, it seemed a different activity was being had.

"Come on Noelle! It might be a monster attack. We should make a run for it!" Eliza called tugging the Autumn Knight's arm. Noelle grimaced and tried to think of a way to get rid of Eliza and respond to the trouble. If the other knights were on the way, they might need her help. Noelle shook her head and gave Eliza a small push toward the direction of the dorm.

"Get going Eliza. I'll catch up. There might be people who are hurt and need help escaping."

Eliza blinked in confusion, "But what about your safety?"

"I can take care of myself remember? Get going!" Noelle called before taking off in the direction of trouble.

Eliza began to run in the opposite direction and after a short sprint, she stopped and shook her head. This wasn't right. Noelle was still a friend and she couldn't leave her to face danger alone. If a normally shy and soft spoken girl like Noelle could be brave in the face of danger, then so could she. Eliza turned on her heel and began to run back toward the direction of danger in hopes she could assist her friend.

* * *

Meanwhile, the last of the students cleared the field running in terror as the fey man named Seamus strutted about the field. The Elven man wearing a blood red hat and cape calmly walked along carrying the magic gold harp under arm until he reached a soccer ball that was left behind. He smirked and stomped down hard on it, instantly crushing the ball.

At that very moment, he felt a gust of wind and looked up to see the five Hibernian Knights enter the battlefield and dismount their magic faerie horses. The knights had already donned their armor and drew their weapons as they approached in a line formation toward him. "Ah... well, if it isn't the famed Tuathan knights of Somerset Valley. Lord Balor says you've got quite a growing reputation and I've been wanting to meet you in person."

"Stow it Fomorian. Who are you and what do you want?" Connor answered while leveling his sword.

Seamus rolled his eyes and laconically raised the harp to playing position, "The same is Seamus Killarny, a captain in the Fomorian Host. I came to see if you five were really as strong as I've heard."

"Is he really a Fomorian?" Quinton asked in quiet suspicion, "He looks more like a primped Elf."

Noelle leveled her own sword and stepped forward, "We'll find out. Okay Seamus! We're here. If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get!"

"We'll just see about that knight," Seamus cackled in glee while he strummed the harp and unleashed a sonic burst across the battlefield causing the five humans to stagger and clutch their ears in pain.

"What's wrong? Didn't like that song, eh?" Seamus grinned with mock sympathy, "Let's try something else shall we?"

The fey man in red garb made another dramatic gesture and began to strum the harp again, only this time it played a beautiful tune. The music was a mournful and melancholic elegy which seemed to grip each knight by the heart and weaken their resolve. No matter how much they wanted to charge forward and fight the Fomorian, all they could think about was how sad the song made them.

"What is going on here?" Quinton asked as he felt tears begin to fall down the sides of his cheeks while he struggled to maintain composure.

"The harp... it must be enchanted," Laura sniffled before she dropped her sword and collapsed to her knees. This wasn't like her at all. To show so much open emotion, especially one of weakness... it was humiliating. The Winter Knight tried to wipe her eyes but as she turned and saw Noelle beginning to break down and weep nearby, she couldn't help but start sobbing too.

"You're absolutely right my dear," Seamus laughed as he continued to play and dance lightly around the incapacitated knights while they broke down in sorrow, "This is the Harp of the legendary Daghda, the greatest of the Irish gods. With it is the power to stir and bend the very hearts of all beings."

"Stop it," Connor tried to protest between his own sobs as he fell limply to his knees, "We won't let you get away with this."

Seamus ambled over to him and grinned in his face, "Consider yourself lucky Summer Knight. I'm here to test this harp and prove to Lord Balor that I can defeat you five. If I wasn't under orders, I would just kill you all myself right now."

"Too bad for you, huh?" Stephen sniffled while he shook his head trying to fight against the waves of sorrow which wracked him too. "You'd need all the help you can get. You're pretty scrawny looking."

Seamus laughed and shook his own head, "You haven't seen my true form Sir Knight, but I guarantee that you will in time. I will humiliate you five today, and next time we meet... I'll take your hearts and your rings as my trophies."

With that, he gave one more strum to release another powerful sonic blast which swept over the five knights. The five crumpled and collapsed to the ground in a stunned heap as Seamus walked away laughing. As he departed into the forest preserve, he began to play a happier tune to celebrate his little victory.

* * *

Just as the battle concluded, Eliza ran on to the scene and spotted the five armored knights laying half-conscious in the dirt. Before she could move to help them, her ears perked up at the sound of the harp music. For a music student like her, it was so enchanting and blissful that she unconsciously began to follow it. She just had to know where that music was coming from. Eliza continued on and headed into the edge of the nearby woods in a half dazed trance until she spotted a pack of spriggans along with a pale man wearing a red cape and hat with a feather in it. The male in red carried a magnificent harp in his hand and stopped playing it when he regrouped with his remaining troops. Eliza took cover in some bushes and shook off the effects of the musical trance but kept a close watch on the strange monsters who gathered.

"The second job is complete. Well done!" Seamus said to his soldiers as he pulled on a nearby tree branch and opened what looked to be a glowing portal in a nearby oak tree. "Once Lord Balor comes to reward us, we'll finish the job of leveling this town, starting with those pathetic knights."

Eliza held her breath and watched as the monsters all walked through the portal and disappear. Once the portal closed behind them, she exhaled and tried to steady her heart and her breathing. For a while she had known a supernatural battle had been raging and her town was caught in the middle of it all, but now she was directly involved. She had seen something strange and she needed to get help... or to tell someone.

Eliza backtracked down the wooded path and sprinted until she reached the field where the knights had been laying. To her surprise, they had partially recovered and rose to their feet. Once they had steadied themselves and regrouped from the effects of the harp, they dispelled their armor, only to turn in shock at the sight of their classmate who now emerged from the tree line.

Eliza gave a shocked gasp and covered her mouth as she saw the alarmed faces of Connor, Noelle, and Quinton along with their two younger friends Laura and Stephen. Was this for real? Could it be true that her friends and fellow classmates were the ones who were constantly putting their necks on the line to save the town.

Noelle was the first to step forward and make a calming gesture with her hand, "Eliza? Easy does it. Don't freak out, okay?"

Before anyone else could respond, they watched in dismay as Eliza McConnel put her hands to her head to fight the sudden headrush. The girl collapsed to her knees from the shock of everything that was going on and tried to steady her breathing again.

"Damn it," Connor mumbled as he hurried over to help steady his friend while the others followed right behind. After having been outdone by a powerful new foe with a strange unknown weapon, the last thing the knights needed now was for their identities to be blown by one of their friends on campus. This day had just gone from bad to worse.


	34. Siamsa: Entertainment

**Episode 17: Part 2  
**

Eliza walked down the street being supported by Connor and Noelle while the knights explained the whole situation to her, "I can't believe this. The five of you are..."

"Medieval themed superheroes? Yeah. It's true," Stephen answered sympathetically, "Believe me... it took me a while to wrap my head around too."

"But to keep a secret like that... for all this time?"

Laura cleared her throat, "It's for the safety of all of you civilians. The people know who we are, the better."

Soon enough, they had made their way back into town and walked inside Kristen's shop to call an emergency meeting. It was usually closed on the weekends, but Kristen had hurried back to meet them when they called. When they entered, they found their mentor still looking a bit disheveled from her morning gardening but they were even more shocked to see a small delegation of faeries waiting with her. Three Elven soldiers stood at attention wearing the green livery of the Spring Court while a small familiar female paced nearby them. Quinton immediately recognized her as the gnome he had helped several months ago and who had granted him his wish coin. The diminutive woman wore a fine green dress denoting some sort of rank with her fellow Spring fey and she gave a welcoming look toward the knight.

"Kristen... what's going on here?" Connor asked as Eliza balked at the sight of more supernatural beings in her midst.

The Druid gave an uneasy grimace and gestured for her young charges to sit down, "Everyone... this situation suddenly became a lot more important than I thought. I'd like to introduce you to Aelwen, a handmaiden of the ruling Lord and Lady of Spring."

The gnomish woman stepped forward as the knights and Eliza sat, "I apologize for the sudden intrusion, but it is good to see you again Sir Quinton and Lady Laura."

The Spring and Winter Knights exchanged a look and bowed their heads respectfully. Quinton looked up a moment and frowned slightly, "Miss Aelwen... I had no idea you were attached to the royal court. I... I'm sorry I didn't know when I had saved you before."

Aelwen shook her head kindly, "There is no need to apologize Sir Quinton. I've come today because the Spring Court would like to ask for your help... for the help of all of you knights. It's of the utmost importance and my Court feels you may finally be trustworthy and competent enough to aid us."

"That's a backhanded compliment if I've ever heard one," Stephen muttered quietly before Noelle gave him a little shove, urging him to be respectful.

Aelwen went on, unaware of the Silver Knight's comment, "A powerful artifact has been stolen from the Spring Court, the mythical Harp of Daghda."

Connor's eyes immediately went wide as he recognized a little bit of the old Celtic lore himself, "Whoah... hold on a minute. Daghda, as in the greatest of all the Celtic gods? His harp actually exists? That creep Seamus was serious?"

Aelwen nodded solemnly as Eliza looked about in confusion, "I don't understand."

The Summer Knight glanced to Kristen then back to the others, "The Harp of Daghda was a legendary artifact and stories say that it had all sorts of crazy powers. It could heal wounds, bend time and space, or instantly alter the emotions of people who hear the music."

"Makes sense," Laura mused, "That harp we came across stopped us dead in our tracks."

After relating their battle with the mysterious Fomorian warrior Seamus, Aelwen grew even more serious, "Yes... we know of this Seamus Killarny. He's a redcap, a type of monstrous fey that has great power and a penchant for savage cruelty. Many of them earn the name by dying their hats red with the blood of their victims. We suspect he was the one who raided the treasure vault in Spring and stole the harp. He left scores of dead and wounded people in his wake."

"So what exactly does that have to do with us?" Stephen asked nervously.

Aelwen narrowed her eyes, "We cannot allow the Fomorian Host to use the powers of the harp for evil. We'd like you knights to help us track Seamus down and recover the harp. If you have to kill him in the process, then so much the better."

At that, Eliza nervously chimed in, "Uh... guys? I think I can help with that. I saw where this Seamus guy went to in the woods, and where he escaped through some magic portal."

The knights spent several minutes recounting their own battle that morning and how Eliza came to be there before Noelle jumped to her feet, "All right, so once Eliza shows us the way, Kristen can help us portal over into Spring and then we can go after Seamus."

"And I'm coming with you guys," Eliza said quickly causing everyone to stare.

Connor shook his head to his fellow musician and friend, "No Eliza. It's going to be too dangerous. We don't know what to expect in the Faerie Realm and you don't have the benefit of our weapons and armor."

"But I do have enough musical talent to play the harp," Eliza countered while giving a pleading look to the others, "Listen, if we recover the harp it might be a benefit to have someone who's able to play it and use it's magic back on those Fomorian monsters. You guys have done so much to help protect our town and I want to try and return the favor."

Kristen crossed her arms in protest, "Eliza, it's a noble gesture. I know you want to help but..."

"But she'll just have to be extra careful. Her skills might be really useful here," Noelle cut in with a supportive smile.

Connor narrowed his eyes skeptically but Noelle continued to plead, "Everyone, we may need as much help as we can get right now. If Eliza is willing and able, I'm willing to believe in her."

The Summer and Winter Knights exchanged a pensive look before Connor slowly nodded. Laura stepped forward and kept her eyes leveled on Eliza, "All right. You can come along, but you need to stay out of danger. That means listen to us and get ready to run away if you have to."

Eliza took a big gulp and nodded silently. Aelwen watched the exchange before turning to Kristen. "Excellent. If that's all settled, then perhaps we should go after the redcap. If it's all right with you, my men and I will be happy to stay here and guard your shop while you are away."

Kristen warily eyed the Elvish soldiers before giving a helpless shrug, "I suppose I can't really object."

She walked over to the corner of the room and took up her wooden Druid staff before gesturing to the door, "Okay everyone. What are we waiting for?"

* * *

A short while later, Eliza led the knights back to the place where she had seen Seamus disappear in the forest preserve just outside of campus. After examining the site, Kristen opened the portal and led the group of students into the realm of Spring. After crossing over, everyone took a look around and found themselves in a bright sunny meadowland with colorful flowers dotting the vibrant grasses. The air was mild and a cool gentle breeze touched their cheeks. In the near distance, the party could see some hills and highlands dotting the countryside while tiny colorful sprites glowed and flitted about the fields around them.

"Oh wow... it's so beautiful," Eliza exclaimed in awe as she took in part of breathtaking majesty of the Faerie Realm for the first time.

"Stay sharp everyone. We won't know what to expect," Stephen called as he scanned their surroundings once more for danger. Once they were convinced the coast was clear, Kristen stood by their portal entry point and planted her staff in the ground.

"Okay. I'm going to stay here and stand guard over our escape route. Wherever that Seamus character went, he couldn't have gone far from here."

The knights all used their rings and bracer to armor up before following some tracks that their mentor pointed out in the ground. They followed the tracks until they reached the base of one of the large steep hills sloping upward and found a small cave dug into the earth leading downward. The group stopped and looked to one another for a moment before Laura drew her rapier with a grim chuckle, "It looks like our enemies have saved us some trouble and dug their own graves for themselves."

Connor nodded and drew his own sword, igniting it for some extra light while he gestured Stephen to join him at the head of the formation, "Eliza stay back and let us take point okay? Noelle, keep a close eye on her."

With that, the group made their way into the dark tunnel and pressed onward into the caverns below. After a short walk, the six stumbled into a wider underground lair lit by a few torches lining the rocky walls. At the other end of the cavern, several spriggan warriors whirled around furiously while the familiar form of Seamus sat on a stone bench holding the magic golden harp. The redcap rose slowly with a look of annoyance before suppressing it into a mocking grin, "Oh... what a surprise. I didn't expect you humans to find me before Balor's forces arrived. I so wanted to give him this lovely harp as a tribute to his greatness."

"I'm afraid you'll have to find something else for Balor. We're here for that harp Seamus!" Laura called out in a challenge.

The fey man smirked and gestured for his spriggan guards to quickly sidle around the walls of the cavern and maneuver by the knights until the enemy troops gathered at the rear of the chamber to block the way out. Seamus shrugged and raised the harp, "I'm afraid that won't be possible. But if you'd like to meet your early deaths here, I'd be more than happy to accommodate you."

As he reached for the strings, Noelle hurled her sword and filled the room with a swirling burst of orange Autumn Wind. The miniature vortex swept by Seamus and plucked the harp from his hand, circling back around and dropping it in front of Eliza. He girl caught the instrument as Noelle recovered her sword and gave a proud smile.

"All right! Nice job Noelle!" Quinton cheered giving her a wrist bump.

Before they could celebrate any further, Seamus dropped his charming act and his face distorted into an ugly look of rage. He stepped closer and began to breathe heavily, "That's it! I'm tired of playing games with you humans. Now I'm going to end this right now!"

The six young people watched in horror as the once gentlemanly Elf grew and mutated into an ugly hulking troll-like monster with sharp jagged teeth, red eyes and fearsome claw hands. The red hat stayed on the monster's head and grew with him as he summoned two weapons to his hands, a spiked chain and a heavy jagged halberd.

Seamus gave a roar that echoed in the cavern before calling to his spriggans, "Stop them!"

The knights repositioned themselves and drew their weapons to meet the attack. Connor gestured to the Silver and Autumn Knights, "Cover our rear and make a break for it with Eliza. We'll try to hold off the Incredible Hulk here."

Eliza gripped the harp close to her chest as she fearfully watched the monstrous brute Seamus tear the large stone chamber apart in his battle with the knights. He snarled in fury as he gripped his large halberd in one hand while whipping around a thick spiked chain in the other. As Quinton rushed forward, he called upon a bolt of Spring Thunder from his sickle to blind the hulking monster and cover his charge. As the electric bolt crackled in the air, Seamus blocked the thunder and whipped his chain around, snaring Quinton by the ankle as the knight leapt high to attack.

Quinton gasped as he was tossed aside hard into the wall while Connor and Laura charged in underneath and struck together.

The Winter Knight parried aside the halberd and swept her rapier up the arm of Seamus raking his skin. The redcap howled in pain, but the damage was superficial and the majority of Laura's icy power simply cascaded off the monster's hide. In a follow up to Laura's thrust, Connor brought his heavier blade around and slashed across the redcap's midsection, landing a telling blow. Seamus staggered back a few paces as a cloud of searing fire erupted over his chest, then dissipated leaving a minor burn wound. Both knights stared in momentary shock, unable to comprehend how the monster could shrug off such powerful blows. The moment cost them as Seamus recovered and lashed out, knocking them both backwards with a brutal backhanded swipe.

Eliza trembled again as she watched the redcap advance past the three downed knights before Stephen stepped up to try and form a second line of defense. He bravely fired several arrows at the advancing brute, changing his aim and charging a few of the other projectiles to mix up the attack. Seamus kept marching forward, deflecting a few arrows while taking others to the chest and pulling them out without flinching. The Silver Knight gasped in shock and dodged and chain whip attack from the redcap as they came into melee range. Just as Stephen could draw his short sword, he felt Seamus's clawed hand around his throat. The redcap tightened his grip and lifted Stephen up in the air for a moment watching the choking knight struggle helplessly.

The redcap gave a disgusted snort and tossed Stephen aside causing him to smash into a nearby wooden table and collapse it. While Stephen lay stunned on the ground, the redcap approached Eliza menacingly. "Give me the harp girl. If you do, I promise I will spare you. I'll kill you quickly so you won't suffer."

From the doorway, Noelle continued to fight the horde of spriggan guards until the sheer numbers of them forced her back and overwhelmed her in a gang tackle. The Autumn Knight struggled in vain as her arms were restrained and her sword clattered to the floor. Despite her best efforts to struggle, she couldn't break free. "Get off! Let go of me!"

Amid the scuffle, Noelle glanced over and saw Eliza cower away in a corner of the chamber while Seamus approached and leveled his weapon on the girl. The redcap sneered over Eliza, "Last chance girlie. Hand it over to me. Now!"

"Eliza! The harp! Play the harp!" Noelle shouted before she was pinned down.

Eliza snapped out of her stupor when she heard Noelle's voice and readied the instrument in her hand. Seamus froze and gave a perplexed look, "Wait... what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to rock out," Eliza replied as she strummed the harp and threw back the hulking monster with a burst of sonic energy.

As Seamus toppled over backwards, the other spriggans let go of Noelle and turned in surprise to help their leader. Before they could, they stared in confusion as Eliza brought her hand back and began to strum the instrument's strings. As she channeled her will into the instrument, a beautiful lively melody sprung forth from the strings causing all the monsters to tremble then break into wild uncontrollable dancing.

"No! What are you doing? Stop this at once!" Seamus bellowed as he and his soldiers lost control of their bodies and continued their dance around the chamber room.

Noelle sprung to her feet and helped her other four friends recover their senses and rise to their feet while Eliza edged around to the exit of the room. Quinton shook his head and glanced about the room in confusion, "Noelle? What the hell is going on here?"

"No time to explain. Let's get out of here guys," she said as she pulled Laura up and directed them toward the exit.

"If I didn't know any better, it looked like some kind of freaky monster dance party," Connor muttered before shooting his other friend a thumbs up, "Whatever's happening here, rock on Eliza!"

As the other knights escaped, Eliza stopped playing the harp and began to sprint out of the passageway. When the music ended, the Fomorians all stopped dancing and slumped over in sheer exhaustion from the sustained effort. Noelle immediately charged her sword with orange elemental energy and turned to Stephen, "These guys look tired. I think they need to sit the next few dances out, don't you think?"

She slashed her sword out and unleashed and powerful burst of chilly swirling Autumn Wind that threw back the Formoians and knocked them all off their feet. As Noelle and Stephen turned to make their escape, Stephen energized his own bow and fired a powerful arrow into the ceiling above the exit. The blast caved in the ceiling and dropped mounds of rocks upon Seamus and his forces, burying the redcap and blocking his escape.

The Autumn and Silver Knights were the last ones who emerged from the cave amid a cloud of dirt and panted in relief when they rejoined their comrades. Laura hurried over and helped steady her fellow female knight giving a happy sigh, "Well done Noelle! Way to take charge in a pinch!"

The Autumn Knight laughed and gave a relieved shrug before turning to their other female ally, "Let's not forget Eliza here helped save the day with her crazy awesome music skills."

Eliza rubbed the back of her neck and gripped the magic harp before the other three boys surprised her and lifted her up on their shoulders to celebrate with three cheers.

"Oh, sheesh... it was nothing," she said once they finally let her down.

Once the jubilation ended, Connor dusted off his armored gauntlets and gestured to the harp, "If everything's in order, I think it's best we head back with the harp. The Spring Court is going to be anxious and Kristen is going to be worried about all of us."

* * *

That evening, the knight returned home to Kristen's shop in town so that they could rest and recover from the ordeal. When they arrived, they found the royal gnome attendant Aelwen milling about playing with Scratch and Yum Yum while a pair of Spring Court soldiers stood guard in the corner. Upon walking through the door, the two gargoyles happily scampered over to greet their human friends while Aelwen stood up and addressed them with a smile. "Welcome back. You were successful in your quest?"

Kristen grinned and glanced over to Eliza prompting her to hold up the harp she was carrying. "I'd say so The harp is safe again and the Fomorian raiders were defeated soundly."

Eliza handed the harp off to Quinton so that he could give it over to the representatives of his fey court. Aelwen took the harp and examined it for a minute before giving a satisfied nod, "Thank you Sir Quinton. It seems I'm in your debt again. Thanks to all of you for risking your lives to help the Spring Court. I can promise you that I will tell the whole court of your noble actions."

Noelle added a smile and nod of her own, "With any luck, we'll be one step closer toward helping unify the Four Courts in the fight against Balor."

"Yes... perhaps," Aelwen said thoughtfully before she gestured for her two bodyguards to follow her, "Now... it's time we return to Spring. We have a lot left to do."

The gnome gave a gracious bow of her head while the two soldiers saluted, and then the three fey marched out the door and seemingly vanished in broad daylight. Eliza watched in astonishment before turning to the others, "I was wondering... do you think we've heard the last of that Seamus monster? He was a pretty scary dude... and freakishly tough."

Kristen ambled over to the counter and tiredly set her Druid staff down, "As far as redcaps are involved, you can never quite count them out unless you kill them yourself. If he shows up again along with the rest of Balor's flunkies, we'll figure it out then."

"Good enough," Eliza sighed as she headed for the door, "I think I'm going to head over to O'Doyle's. After a day like today, I need to do something to unwind."

Connor chuckled and put a friendly arm over her shoulders as they all began to walk out with her, "Oh, I'm sure he'd love to hear all about your little outing today. We tell him about all the others."

"Wait... what?" Eliza gasped in shock, "Hold the phone... he's not like, some wizard or Druid too... is he?"

She was met by a chorus of laughter from the others and as they headed down the street that evening, she had a feeling she'd have a whole lot more to learn about the hidden side of Somerset Valley before the night was even over.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **I apologize for forgetting to answer a Guest review question a couple chapters ago. On the subject of inter-team relationships, I do have a plan. I've got one more filler and a final crossover plot to take care of, but you can bet that I'll properly address some of the romantic subplots then. Thanks for the question!**

 **Another special little salute also goes to _ChibiDawn23_ for convincing me to go with the monster dance party idea in this chapter! Thank you! xD**


	35. Some Enchanted Evening

**Episode 18: Part 1  
**

A gentle breeze gusted over the grassy flower filled highlands of Spring within the Faerie Realm. Night had fallen as Leanansidhe and a small platoon of spriggan soldiers made their way to an underground tunnel dug into one of the large hills. They paused and waited at the entrance as they heard the distinct sounds of shuffling and shambling feet come from within the tunnel. Leanansidhe curled her lips into a sour expression and crossed her arms patiently as she saw the battered figure of Seamus emerge from the cave. He was bruised, exhausted, and covered in dirt after spending several days digging himself out of the collapsed tunnel. The redcap grunted and slumped to the ground keeping his eyes fixed on the Fomorian general.

Leanansidhe met his gaze with a look of disdain and shook her head before waving for a couple spriggans to haul the redcap to his feet, "I see you survived your little run in with the knights. I'm not sure I should be applauding you. Underestimating them was a mistake."

"A mistake I will not make again," Seamus wheezed.

The fey sorceress shook her head again and examined her nails in boredom, "You may have lost the harp, but for some strange reason Lord Balor was impressed by your ambition and daring. It would seem he still has some use for you."

"So you're not here to kill me?" Seamus mumbled in defiance.

Leanansidhe gave him a predatory smile and turned away to leave, "Not until you give me reason to… and I'm hoping you do. For now, I'll work on keeping our enemies busy until you recover. Guards, take him."

The redcap simply sighed and slouched over letting the spriggans drag him along. At this point, he was so physically spent, he would spend the time plotting a new way to regain his pride and to take revenge on the human knights who had humiliated him.

* * *

A few weeks had passed since the fierce skirmish against the Fomorian redcap named Seamus and the recovery of the Spring Court's mythical harp. Once again, the day to day routine of going to school and studying for exams fell back into it's nice predictable pattern as the Spring semester neared its end. By now, the dormitory had grown a bit empty and quiet as students enjoyed an upcoming week's vacation for Spring Break.

On that particular Friday, Connor Walsh walked down the hallways carrying a notebook and file full of papers until he reached a familiar door. He gave a couple knocks and waited patiently. When the door finally opened, he blinked in surprise at the sight of the girl who emerged.

Standing at the door was Noelle dressed in pajama pants and a baggy orange hoodie. Instead of being tied up in its usual braid, her long brown hair was loose and bedraggled. The Autumn Knight's nose was puffy and red and her complexion was a little off color too.

She immediately pulled her hood over her head and turned away in embarrassment while sniffling, "Oh God! Connor, I'm so sorry. I look like a complete wreck!"

"Ah come on. Between friends, you think that really matters to me?" he replied handing her the papers and notebook, "I heard you were a little under the weather so I came by with all the classwork you missed so that you can study for finals in a few weeks."

Noelle took the study materials and gave a tired but grateful nod, "Thanks. I guess I was asking to catch this flu bug when I got stuck in the recent rainstorm walking back from karate practice, huh? Do I really look as awful as I feel right now?"

"I'm not going to answer that," he replied with a smile while gently poking her forehead, "Just get well soon, huh?"

She nodded again, "I'm surprised you're still here. I thought you'd be heading out tonight or taking a trip for Spring Break."

He shrugged, "Nah. I volunteered to stick around and keep an eye on things. Besides, Kristen picked up a bunch of new items for her store at an auction and she needs me to help her sort through it. Apparently she's doing some personal shopping with Laura tonight. As for why, who knows?"

Noelle gave a disappointed sigh before erupting in a sneeze, "Geez, I picked a bad time to get sick huh?"

The Summer Knight chuckled again and gave a wave, "Like I said, just rest up and work on getting better. I'll see if I can't swing by later this week if I'm not too busy."

Noelle gave a smile watching him go before sneezing again and retreating back into her dorm room with a moan.

* * *

Some time later that evening, Stephen Gentum-Smith and Laura Gremory walked into town together and made their way toward the antique shop. While the two freshmen students walked and enjoyed the mild quiet evening, they chatted idly about some of their upcoming plans. "I'm surprised Kristen asked you to come along with her for some dress shopping tonight. I wonder what the occasion is."

Laura shrugged, "I imagine she wants another female's opinion if she wants to look good for the May Festival coming up in a few days. She said her boyfriend was going to take her for a nice night out."

"Hmm, I know it's a big outdoor garden festival for flower and art enthusiasts, but there's also a dance involved with it too, right?"

"Yes," Laura answered absently, "I believe it's what you people here call a Turnabout Dance... where the women ask the men."

Stephen bit his lip and tried to keep his voice neutral, "So Laura… you weren't planning on going, were you?"

The Winter Knight glanced at him with a surprisingly sheepish look before clearing her throat and reasserting her poise, "Well… I suppose this is a little embarrassing to admit, but part of me would actually kind of like to go. Except there's a little problem."

"Oh?"

Laura nodded as they reached the shop and opened the door, "Yes. I'm afraid I don't know of anyone I'd particularly want to go with. At the risk of sounding a bit picky, there seems to be a real lack of real gentlemen on campus... someone with charm and class, a sophisticate who knows how to treat a woman properly."

The Silver Knight swallowed hard and tried to wave it off, "Well, I don't know Laura. Uh… maybe you could go with one of us guys? Your fellow knights? You trust us, don't you?"

"I do," she admitted, "But to go with one of you… well, it would just be a bit weird and awkward, don't you think?"

Stephen sighed in disappointment and shrugged, "Oh... maybe."

As they finished their conversation, they saw Connor dragging in several heavy crates of goods from the back rooms while Kristen stepped out to grab a casual blazer and her purse. Their mentor waved and gestured to the door, "Oh Laura. There you are. Are you ready to head out?"

The Winter Knight nodded and gently clapped Stephen on the shoulder before she walked out the door with the Druid. Stephen sighed and shook his head again before turning to Connor who had taken a moment to sit down and catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" the Silver Knight asked, "I didn't think you'd be working late tonight… and at the start of Spring Break too."

"Well, no good deed ever goes unpunished," Connor shrugged as he gave one of the crates a little kick, "Kristen asked for help and I could use a few extra bucks. I'll be sorting out a bunch of her new acquisitions tonight so things should be kinda dull."

"Mind if I stick around and keep you company then?" Stephen asked as he began to idly pace around. "I kinda don't have anything going on tonight either."

Connor frowned in confusion before pulling out a crowbar and getting to work on some of the boxes, "I guess so. Make yourself comfy. I'll be here a while."

While the Summer Knight worked, Stephen passed by the team's two little gargoyle pets Scratch and Yum Yum. The two creatures were curled up on some nearby shelves taking evening naps and neither one stirred as Stephen idly examined an old antique clock and fiddled with the hands, "No Quinton? You two are usually doing things together... partners in crime."

"Quinton is spending the week in Boston with his girlfriend," Connor replied absently as he opened a crate, "Lucky guy, huh?"

Stephen continued fiddling with the clock, "I guess. Umm…doesn't it bother you a little that Quinton is having more success with women than you and I combined right now? I mean, isn't this the time of year when everyone's getting outside and going on dates and stuff?"

Connor laughed good naturedly, "Well when you put it that way, I guess it is a little unusual. But it's not something I'm going to lose any sleep over either."

Stephen grimaced and turned back to the main floor, "Connor, you know there's that big May Festival and Turnabout Dance coming up right? Noelle hasn't asked you if you wanted to go with her, has she?"

Connor stopped abruptly and looked up at him, "No… but I doubt she'll be going anywhere for a while considering she's down with a bad flu bug. You weren't wanting to go with her… were you?"

The younger knight quickly backpedaled and waved it off in alarm, "No! No! That's not it at all! Honestly… I was actually kinda hoping to go with someone else."

"Oh? Who's that?"

Stephen wrung his hands and kept pacing, "Oh geez Connor. I don't know. It's kinda personal… and I'm a little embarrassed."

The Summer Knight chuckled and idly twirled the crowbar in his hand, "Chill out Stephen. You can tell me. We trust each other with our lives on the battlefield for crying out loud. I promise I won't tell a soul."

Stephen huffed and thought it over before finally relenting, "Well… okay. I was hoping to go with Laura."

Connor dropped the crowbar in surprise before bursting out into a loud fit of laughter, "What? Laura? You've got a thing for the Ice Princess? Lady Fussy Britches? Hahaha! Oh, that's a good one!"

"Hey! Will you keep it down?" Stephen snapped in annoyance amid Connor's laughter, "I'm telling you this because I need your help! I want to figure out a way to get her to like me… maybe to see me as potential boyfriend material."

Connor guffawed once more and tried to stifle his giggles "You could always dress up like a personal butler and wait on her hand and foot."

The Silver Knight shoved him mildly in the shoulder "Connor! I'm serious! Are you going to help me or not?"

The Summer Knight raised his hands and patted Stephen's shoulder, "Okay, okay. Relax Stephen. I'm just messing with you. Of course I'll help."

The Summer Knight headed back over to a new box and began working again, "Tell you what… give me a little while to sit and think about it okay? I've got to get through this work shift first."

Stephen watched his friend pry at another crate lid, before he went to dig around one of the opened boxes. That was when its particular contents caught his eye. Stephen curiously pulled out an impressive uniform coat that looked to be straight out of the Revolutionary War. It was a finely tailored red coat with gold trim and it appeared that it might have belonged to some well off British Army officer. "Wow, check this out!"

Stephen put on the coat as well as the tricornered officer hat and the officer's dress saber at his waist. He stepped over to one of the antique full length mirrors and admired the uniform. His adopted mothers both had some English heritage and he always associated with it too . Even more, he couldn't help but think how perfectly it fit on him. Admittedly, it made him look very dashing and heroic.

Connor gave an impressed whistle and smiled, "Hey, that's pretty cool man. It looks good on you, even if it is the wrong side's colors."

Stephen smiled and kept looking in the mirror, "Well, Laura did say if she was to go on a date, she'd prefer a charming and proper gentleman."

Moments later, Stephen felt a strange tingling and a chilly sensation run through his body. To his shock, the soldier's coat flew off his body along with the hat and the saber. Both knights froze and watched in shocked horror as a nebulous human form began to take shape around the clothes. The coat and hat bobbed in midair and the phantom being reached for the sword at its waist.

"Oh… this is so not happening!" Stephen gasped in terror as the ghostly being swept forward and began swinging the sword around the room. It was hard to tell if the swings were really meant to kill or to frighten, but the two boys decided not to take any chances. Connor grabbed Stephen and pulled him out of the shop, slamming the door behind them. They were both a little embarrassed at having been chased out by some strange phantom from the box and they had been so startled they didn't even think of calling their own armor to combat the ghost.

"What the hell kind of cargo did Kristen buy?" Stephen gasped while catching his breath, "I think she should get her money back."

He pulled out his magic archer's bracer and frowned, "What do you say we go bust a ghost?"

Connor caught his arm and shook his head while pulling out his phone, "No! We call Kristen and tell her what happened. If we go in there and blow up the shop, Kristen's going to go ballistic… then probably turn us into toadstools or something."

Stephen eased up and leaned back against the door, "All right, but she isn't going to be happy about having her night out interrupted… and neither will Laura for that matter."

* * *

When the two girls finally returned, they found the boys outside looking a bit tense while they waited. Laura was the first to step forward, "You two had better not be clowning around and playing a prank on us."

"This is no joke," Stephen insisted toward Kristen, "Something freaky came out of one of those crates and tried to kill us. I just hope it's not going to haunt the shop now. Should we arm ourselves or something before going in?"

Kristen eyed the two boys quietly and nodded before opening the door. Connor and Stephen summoned their weapons and held them at the ready while leading the way inside. As they walked into the silent shop, they looked around and waited. Kristen warily peeked around shelves and picked up her Druid staff in the corner while Laura crossed her arms, "I don't see any ghost. You two must have been jumping at your own shadows."

She glanced over toward a nearby mirror and suddenly spotted a second reflection alongside hers. Laura gave a startled shriek and jumped sideways only to bump into another person. To her surprise, she was caught in the arms of someone in an antiquated red coat hearkening back to the colonial days of the British Empire. She looked up to see the soldier was a handsome clean shaven young man with short black hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore a black tricorner hat and a dress sword at his waist indicating he must have been of the officer class.

"Excuse me Miss. Are you all right?" the young man asked as he steadied her.

Laura blinked in surprise before relaxing into a mild swoon, "Oh… I'm fine. Thank you Mister…"

"Bennet. Lieutenant James Bennett," the man replied graciously as he righted her. "His Majesty's 5th Foot Regiment, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, at your service."

"Are you kidding me? It's him! It's the ghost!" Connor cried as he leveled his sword and Stephen drew back an arrow in his bow.

Kristen extended her hands and gently eased both weapons down before stepping forward slowly, "Excuse me uh… Lieutenant. I'd like to know what's going on here. I am Kristen Bloom and this is my shop."

James straightened up and let go of Laura who gave a disappointed sigh before he bowed his head slightly, "My deepest apologies Miss Bloom. I meant no harm to you or your..."

"Ah… apprentices," the Druid quickly supplied, "Umm… this may sound a little troubling, but I think you may be…"

"Dead? Oh yes. I know," James sighed. "Truth be told, I've been cooped up for so long in that box, I've completely lost track of time. I had been serving in the Boston Campaign when terrible sickness spread through the camp. For a time, I was aware of my passing, but once my gear was stowed away, apparently so was my very being. The next thing I know, I had woken up here and thought to chase these two scoundrels out of the shop."

"Hey! Who are you calling a scoundrel?" Stephen huffed indignantly before the Summer Knight put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Well friend… I'm sorry to give you the bad news, but it's been a couple hundred years and a lot has changed," Connor said, "For starters, Britain lost the war against the colonies. You're looking at a free and independent America."

The spirit grimaced and gave a disappointed sigh, "I see… well… that's a great pity then."

"Tell me about it," Laura muttered quietly in agreement.

Kristen shook her head and ignored the quip before she spoke again, "Lieutenant, I know this is all a lot to take in but you have to understand, seeing an apparition isn't something that usually happens around here either. Whether it's due to the high concentration of magic in this region, I can't be certain just yet."

The ghostly officer frowned in thought, "Magic you say? How peculiar. You people don't seem as perturbed at my… condition than I originally thought. Do you understand what is going on and why I might be here?"

"That's what I intend to figure out," Kristen answered, "I'll try to find a way to help you, but in the mean time I think it's best you stay around here and keep out of sight so that you don't frighten any more people."

"Thank you Miss Bloom. I think that's a reasonable course of action as well," James said while graciously tipping his cap. "If it's all right with you, I would like to try and learn more about this new modern age."

To everyone's surprise, Laura hooked her arm around James's and gave an unusually sweet smile, "I'd be delighted to help you with that. I'm actually a student of History here at the local university."

"Really? I'd love to hear more. Do go on," James exclaimed as they walked off to do a circuit of the shop.

Stephen watched in shocked dismay while the two walked off and Kristen headed toward the backrooms scratching her head in confusion. He knew he shouldn't have to feel troubled by all this, but for some reason it didn't sit right with him. His idle thoughts were interrupted as he heard Connor give a mild groan beside him, "So much for a quiet Spring Break, huh? Come on Stephen, it looks like we've got some work to do."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **On the subject of soldiers and the past, a special salute goes out today to all the people serving in the US Navy and Marine Corps. In-universe, I'd like to think Lt. Cmdr. Monroe and the other Ocean Rangers in Hawaii would probably be taking some time out to visit Pearl Harbor and pay their respects.** ** _Non sibi sed patriae_** **.**


	36. Suil a Run: Go, My Love

**Episode 18: Part 2  
**

Later the next day, Connor gave a relieved sigh as he turned the sign around on the antique shop from Open to Closed. No sooner had he done that, he heard a knock and saw Stephen standing on the other side of the glass door.

"Hey Stephen, what's up?" Connor asked as he opened the door and let his friend inside.

The Silver Knight strode past and looked around, "I uh… came by to see if you guys wanted to go grab some dinner back at the dorm. Noelle's isolated herself in her room claiming she's still a biohazard so I've been looking for you and Laura."

"Well… you found us," Connor sighed as he dusted his hands, "I just finished my shift and Laura's already here."

Stephen stopped abruptly, "She is?"

"Yep. She's off in a corner of the shop chatting with Spooky," Connor replied while rolling his eyes. "She's been here for a few hours yakking and making all sorts of goo-goo eyes too."

The Silver Knight grimaced in dismay, "Oh… well, about that subject we discussed yesterday… have you thought of anything yet?"

"Just act like a knight and follow my lead," Connor replied giving Stephen a little push, "Why don't you go get Laura for dinner already?"

Stephen reluctantly walked further into the shop to find Laura sitting at a table drinking a cup of tea while having an animated discussion with the ghostly soldier named James.

The spirit reached over and gave her hand a squeeze, "To come all this way to another country, and to go to school while fighting these monsters… you are truly a remarkable girl Miss Gremory."

"Ah… well, no braver than you. Having come here to fight for the Crown without the aid of magic weapons and armor," Laura replied shyly while drawing her hand back and taking a sip of tea. After she did, she smiled brightly, "I must admit though, it's a real treat to be able to spend some time chatting with a fellow Englishman again… even one from the past."

"Likewise," James replied politely as Stephen approached.

The Silver Knight cleared his throat, "Laura… I hope I'm not interrupting. I came by to see if you and Connor wanted to join me for dinner tonight."

Laura gave a reluctant sigh and began to rise, "If it's all right with you, I think I might stay around for a little while longer. I was having such a nice time with James. He had been telling me all about his family's estate in England beforehand and I wanted to lean more."

She turned to the soldier, "That is... if you don't mind."

James stood straight and took her hands with a smile, "To spend a little more time with such an enchanting girl? My pleasure."

"My stomach," Connor interjected as he walked over feigning stomach pain, "Laura, are you really going to ignore poor Stephen over there? I've never seen you act so moonstruck before… and over a dead guy of all people, err… no offense James."

Laura gave a mildly indignant huff, "Maybe it's just because you haven't been around a real gentleman before."

Connor looked to Stephen expectantly before waving his hand, "Oh come on Laura, get off your high horse. There's no reason to stand on ceremony. Why, I'd even go so far as to say you're no more special or discerning of character than anyone in this room."

James frowned and stepped toward Connor, "Sir, you'll apologize to the lady."

"Show me a lady and I will," Connor retorted with a laugh before giving Stephen another pointed look. Instead, he found the tip of the ghost's sword immediately pointed at his nose.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! It was just a joke," Connor replied quickly as he gingerly pushed the sword away.

James frowned again and sheathed his blade while Laura gestured for the ghost to follow her, "Come on James. Let's go get a little fresh air in the rear alley, shall we?"

When they left, Stephen grabbed the Summer Knight's sleeve in outrage, "Connor, what the hell are you doing? You're acting like a humongous asshole."

"That's the idea Stephen. Keep up with me here. Good knight-Bad knight? I'm trying to make you look good here, but you need you to take charge and act all gallant. Defend Laura's honor! For God's sake, punch me in the nose if you really need to."

"I'm not going to hit you!" Stephen huffed as he let go of Connor.

"Then you're not going to impress Laura," the Summer Knight sighed while heading for the door to go home.

Stephen let out a breath watching his comrade go. Maybe Connor had a little bit of a point there. He was just trying to be a good friend and was offering to take a fall for Stephen. He appreciated the gesture and as much as he wanted to throw a punch now, there still had to be a better way.

* * *

The next day, the three knights returned to the shop for a meeting after getting a call from their mentor. As they gathered around one of the antique dining tables, James floated over curiously while Kristen rose at the head of the table to share her findings. Sitting on the table was an old antiquated knapsack with a metallic button bearing the regimental marking of James's military unit.

Kristen cleared her throat, "Everyone… I called you all here to relate some things I learned while digging into this situation. I had called up a couple of my Druid colleagues and studied some of the other things that had belonged to Mr. Bennett. I think I may have a working theory as to why all this is going on."

She was interrupted as the bag rustled and the gargoyle Yum-Yum emerged, most likely rummaging around for a snack. Laura quickly reached over and grabbed the little creature. She placed the squirming gargoyle in her lap preventing him from causing any more trouble.

"Thank you," Kristen sighed before reaching in the knapsack and removing a silver medallion with an emerald stone in the center. As everyone looked closer, they saw that there was something inside of it.

The Druid held it up and showed the knights before Laura asked, "What is it?"

"I believe this is a very rare Orphic Charm," Kristen explained, "I've never seen one before, but I've heard about them and seen sketches when I was just an apprentice."

She turned to the ghost of James and asked, "Where did you get this?"

James studied the trinket and nodded quietly, "I found it on the outskirts of a village in the area. My company was skirmishing with some of the American militias and I found it in the grass after we had chased them off. I thought it was a curious treasure and kept it as a good luck charm."

"Hmm… then it makes a lot of sense now," Kristen said thoughtfully.

Stephen shook his head, "I don't get it. What makes sense?"

The Druid held out the medallion again, "This Orphic Medallion was named after the mythical figure of Orpheus who once ventured into the Underworld and traveled among the dead. A long time ago, several older Druids experimented with the limits of natural law… particularly as it related to death. Inside this charm is a lily petal, a flower which symbolizes death. It was said that these Orphic medallions may have had the power to preserve one's being in spite of natural death."

She gestured to James, "Case in point. He must have had this amulet in his possession when he died and the medallion preserved a part of him in the form of a ghost."

"Whoah… that's really freaky," Connor exclaimed, "But couldn't an artifact like that be really dangerous?"

Kristen nodded sagely, "Yes. We Druids consider magic that defies the order of things to be a grave affront to Nature itself. Things created by necromancy like the undead are abominations to us. That's why objects like these Orphic Medallions were destroyed and outlawed by our Druid Orders."

"Wait… James isn't a monster or an abomination!" Laura protested, "He's good and honorable."

"I know that," the Druid nodded, "It seems he was accidentally caught up with faerie magic that he didn't understand. I'm not faulting him for that."

"Is there anything that can be done?" James asked in concern causing everyone to become quiet again.

Kristen sighed, "I'm not completely certain. If I do a ritual to disenchant the medallion, it may dispel the artifact's powers and fully release your spirit. You could cross over to… uh… wherever it is that our souls ultimately go."

"I see," James replied pensively, "Then if that's the case let's perform the ritual."

"James…" Laura murmured in worry.

Before anyone else could interject, a sparkling green messenger pixie flew in through the windows and darted over toward the Druid. It bobbed in the air for a few moments whispering something in Kristen's ear before winking out of existence.

"Damn… not now," she said, "Balor's forces are attacking again. We'll have to deal with them first."

"Then let me help you," James chimed in while giving a look to Laura, "It's the least I could do if you people are willing to help me."

The Summer Knight cleared his throat and nodded, "With two knights out of action, we could use all the help we can get. Now if only the Fomorians believed in taking Spring Breaks too."

* * *

Across town, car alarms went off as a great hulking beastman marched down the street sweeping some aside with a large falchion blade. The Fomorian monster wore leather armor and slobbered from its hyena-like head while carving a swath of destruction. As the monster known as a gnoll tossed aside another car, it tore a nearby mailbox off the curb and hurled it through the window of a nearby grocery store.

Marching close behind the gnoll came a platoon of spriggans along with the sorceress Leanansidhe herself. She smiled in satisfaction at the chaos and destruction being sown until she saw three armored Hibernian Knights arrive on the scene. They leapt off their horses and drew their blades while barring the path of the Fomorian assault. To her surprise, she saw a strange incorporeal spirit of a young man alongside them.

"Okay Connor, how do you think we should take them?" Laura asked the team's co-leader.

The Summer Knight turned to Stephen and cleared his throat, prompting his comrade to step up. The Silver Knight took a moment before nodding quickly and trying to speak like a confident commander, "I think we should focus on dog face over there. Connor, maybe you could draw off Leanansidhe?"

"I think I may be able to assist against the sorceress," their ghostly ally interjected.

As the spriggans surged forward, Connor twirled his blade and ignited it with flames before moving the block them, "All right Stephen, you and Laura go stop that Fomorian! I'll handle these clowns!"

Stephen and Laura took a moment as Connor clashed with the spriggans and threw a small crowd of them back with a whirling sword slash and a blazing cloud of Summer Fire.

Meanwhile, the large fey beastman continued to advance and drag his falchion across the pavement carving a small ravine as it went. As the ghostly spirit of James began to swoop around and harass Leanansidhe, the Winter and Silver Knights moved to halt the hulking monster before them.

The gnoll warrior gave a furious cry and charged forward swinging his weapon hoping to cleave his enemies in half but they tumbled out of the way. Laura was the first to recover to her feet and pivot around quickly bringing her rapier to bear. As she thrusted, she gave a surprised gasp as the Fomorian caught her blade. While the rapier wounded the inside of its hand, the gnoll held fast and brought its own sword around hoping to crush the knight.

To Laura's relief, Stephen fired an arrow and struck the weapon arm of the monster causing it to yelp in pain and drop its weapon. Before he could turn back to Laura, Stephen decided he had to make a bold move. He couldn't sit back in his comfort zone in the middle of combat when a friend was in danger. He charged forward while dropping his shoulder like a football player. The gnoll yelped again in pain as Stephen threw himself into the monster's wounded arm and pushed it aside a few feet. "I don't think the lady wants to dance with you! Mind if I cut in?"

While Laura dropped back momentarily to regain her balance, Stephen kept pushing until the gnoll planted its heels and reached out grab the Silver Knight. Stephen fended off the grapple with his bow and called on a silver arrow with his other hand. In an improvised move, Stephen used the arrow like a dagger and used it to stab upward into the bottom of the beastman's maw. Just as fast, he pulled the bloody arrow out and kicked his large foe backward to put some distance in between them. He quickly nocked the arrow and fired a powerful shot which pierced through the monster's weak unarmored kneecap and crippled it.

While the gnoll howled and slumped over, Laura moved forward and raised her sword to finish off the wounded beastman. In a chilly burst of blue arctic air, Laura darted forward and thrust her blade into the Fomorian's shoulder causing a cloud of ice crystals to erupt and cover its body in seconds. As the Winter Knight pulled back her sword, she twirled it and gave a final decisive horizontal cut to the frozen monster, bisecting it and destroying the monster in a blast of steam and ice shards.

The two smiled and gave a nod toward each other as they turned to see the last of the spriggans get incinerated by Connor's fiery blade nearby. As the last evil foot soldier disintegrated, the three shifted their attention to the red haired sorceress while the ghost of James Bennett swirled around one last time and broke away to rejoin the knights. To her surprise, Leanansidhe suddenly found herself all alone after having been distracted by the meddlesome spirit. Without the backup of the gnoll berserker or the spriggan troops, the tides of battle had dramatically shifted.

"A meaningless victory," Leanansidhe snorted before she spun around and took on her smoky form and retreated from the battlefield.

Once she had departed, Connor grinned and sheathed his sword before turning to the ghost, "Thanks for the help back there Lieutenant. We really appreciate it. Distracting that witch was a great move on your part."

James cast a sideways look and nodded smartly, "She appeared to be the monsters' field commander. Disrupting the enemy's leaders is always a sound strategy... monster or not."

While Connor exchanged a few more words of praise with the ghost, Laura turned to Stephen and tilted her head slightly, "I think I should also be thanking you a little for your actions as well. If you hadn't shot out that beastman's weapon arm… well, you really played a blinder today."

"It was nothing," the Silver Knight said trying to be modest, "I'd be a pretty awful man if I had let that dogface creep hurt you."

"Yes… I suppose so," she said thoughtfully as she gave him one more appraising glance before patting his arm and starting home.

Stephan watched her go before he felt Connor throw a companionable arm around his neck and give him a little shake, "Hey! Nice work, but now's not the time to rest on your laurels. You coming or what?"

* * *

That evening, the three knights gathered together back in the shop along with Kristen and James. While Laura and Connor helped prepare the items for Kristen's spell, James took Stephen aside to a corner and placed his hands on the Silver Knight's shoulders, "Stephen, there's something important that I wanted to talk to you about before I depart."

Stephen looked his ghostly peer in the eye and nodded hesitantly, "All right…"

"Your friend Connor took me aside earlier and explained to me about why he had acted the way he did recently. He told me all about how and why he was trying to help you."

"Oh… did he now?" Stephen said as he shifted uncomfortably.

"I completely understand now and that's why I want to speak to you," the spirit said with a serene smile, "Laura is a remarkable girl... brilliant, beautiful, and strong willed, don't you think?"

Stephen frowned in slight confusion before nodding, "Yeah. I don't understand what you're getting at though."

James tapped his own chin thoughtfully, "She's going to need someone equally as smart, strong, and talented to keep up with her."

"Unfortunately, it seems I'm not quite there yet," Stephen answered with a deflated sigh.

James gave a kind-hearted chuckle, "Perhaps not, but if seeing your actions on the battlefield was any indication, I'd say you shouldn't sell your own potential short. It took a lot of courage to confront that beastman directly. Perhaps if you went about your romantic pursuit with the same kind of courage and noble intentions, I think it just may turn some heads."

Stephen thought it over for a moment and nodded with a smile. He extended a hand and the spirit took it in a cold handshake, "Thanks James. That's actually some pretty good advice. I'll keep it mind."

"I'm counting on you to take care of Laura for me," the ghost laughed, "If you don't, I may have to come back and haunt you personally."

The Silver Knight snorted in amusement and stepped back with a nod, "You can count on me."

As they ended their little aside, Kristen stepped forward holding her staff, "Okay Mr. Bennett, are you ready?"

The spirit stood straight and proud while giving a nod, "Yes Miss Bloom, and thank you for all your help. I'm ready to face whatever lies beyond the pale."

James turned to the others and addressed them each in turn. To Connor he gave a salute and a small wink, "I'm glad we straightened things out Mr. Walsh. You're a good comrade-in-arms and an even better friend to the others. I wish you well."

"Take care James. I'm wishing you luck too," Connor replied giving a friendly wave.

Finally, the spirit turned to the Winter Knight and gave a mournful look, "Miss Gremory… Laura… I'm sorry we didn't have more time together. I enjoyed your company and I appreciated learning about all the recent events of the world from you."

"I feel the same way," Laura said sadly, "Do you really have to go? I mean… can't you just stick around the shop too?"

James laughed gently as he walked over toward her, "I'm afraid Miss Bloom has enough chaos to worry about here. Besides, I'm a thing of the past and you have a responsibility to the future. I'm sorry Laura. You know it has to be this way."

She nodded again and looked down as he touched her cheek and brushed aside a strand of her golden hair. With that, the ghostly soldier stepped back and stood at attention, "All right then Miss Bloom. You may commence with the ritual."

Everyone stood back as Kristen laid out the medallion on a nearby table lined by fresh leaves and circled by some small candles. A hint of burning incense hung in the air as Kristen lowered her staff and began to concentrate. She began a soft chant in some form of ancient Gaelic and the knights watched as the bed of leaves within the ritual circle began to illuminate. As Kristen's voice rose and the glow intensified, the candles winked out and the leaves evaporated into sparkling dust. In the center of the circle, the medallion's emerald stone suddenly disintegrated and crumbled away to dust. With the artifact destroyed, the ghost of James began to glow with a soft white light before the spirit evaporated into twinkling motes of light just like the leaves from the ritual.

As the light faded, everyone remained silent at having witnessed such an unusual sight, even by the standards of those who encountered supernatural beings regularly. After a long pause, Laura gave a small sigh, "I'm glad that James is probably in a better place but it's a terrible shame he had to leave. I was really getting to enjoy his company."

"Even if all he could ever be was just a disembodied ghost? You know it'd never work," Connor said.

The Winter Knight paced idly, "Oh, I know. But still… he had been so sweet and charming and attentive. Can you believe there was a part of me that actually wished for a minute that I could take him with me to the May Festival tonight?"

Kristen gave a gentle smile and patted Laura's shoulder sympathetically while Connor gave Stephen a quick nudge in the side. He tilted his head toward the girls in silence and fixed his younger friend with a pointed look. Stephen nodded and cleared his throat tentatively, "Well… James might not be here, but it shouldn't stop you from going. If you'd like, I'll try to substitute for the evening. You know… as a friend."

Laura looked to him in surprise wearing an enigmatic expression, "Really? You'd be willing to go?"

"Maybe even willing to dance a little too," Stephen said trying to sound nonchalant, "If you're into that sort of thing."

The Winter Knight gave a mild snort of amusement and headed for the door, "All right then Stephen... as friends. Let's head back to the dorm and clean up. We still need to look presentable after all."

"Of course," he answered as he offered his arm and gallantly walked her outside. Before he left, he turned and gave a quick look to Connor only to meet a little nod from the older knight. Once the two freshmen had left, Kristen glanced over to Connor with an amused smile, "Don't worry. Damon and I will keep an eye on them tonight. I don't suppose you're planning to join in on the festival too, are you?"

The Summer Knight thought for a moment and shook his head with a smile, "Nah. There's enough lovey-dovey stuff in the air. I figured I'd do one more good deed for the night instead."

"Oh? What's that?"

"I've got a sick friend who's missing out on all our fun. I figure I'd go visit and bring her some chicken soup instead. I'm sure that'll cheer her up."

"I'm sure it will," Kristen said with an approving smile as she watched him depart. Despite the chaos of ghosts, missing knights, and monster attacks these last few days, peace had returned to the quiet little valley they all called home. It seemed that at least for now, all's well that ended well.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Hope you enjoyed the little filler here. The themes were a little different and I decided to go lighter on the action in favor of characterization this time. Coming up next will be the last crossover in this series featuring some heroes from the work of my good buddy** ** _Stormasius_** **. I'll be taking a brief pause from this series to work on another fic for bit, but the knights will be jumping back into action after the short break. Thanks for reading everyone!**


	37. Comrades in Arms

**Episode 19: Part 1  
**

The sounds of birds chirping filled the air as a warm May breeze rolled into Somerset Valley. On that afternoon in late May, the five Knights gathered together to enjoy some much needed downtime and celebrate the end of the Spring term. While they were technically on Summer break, there were still part time jobs to work and in Quinton and Laura's case, an extra summer class for more credit hours. Before the five had to go back to their duties, they decided to try and enjoy a brief little vacation while staying close to home in case of a Fomorian attack.

The five had decided to go on a little camping trip and rent out a cabin at the wooded edge of the valley where some campgrounds had been set up. On that particular day, they had the whole place to themselves and they decided to make the most of it. It was a scenic location overlooking the town with some hiking trails nearby along with a small quiet lake for fishing and swimming. As the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees, Connor Walsh sat near a large outdoor fire pit preparing a campfire while Quinton and Stephen worked together to finish setting up a large tent alongside the cabin.

"I still don't see why we have to sleep outside on the cold hard ground," Stephen mumbled while holding up one end of the tent.

"Why? Because we're gentlemen," Quinton chuckled toward his younger friend as he worked, "You don't actually expect we'll make the girls sleep out here instead, do you?"

"When you put it that way… I guess not," Stephen admitted while Connor lit the campfire and stepped back contentedly.

"Well boys, this was a great idea for a relaxing break and we picked the perfect week to do this too. The weather is good, everything is in bloom…"

"The hamburgers are ready for grilling," Noelle chimed in with a laugh as she and Laura exited the cabin carrying the food they prepared for dinner. She handed the meat off to the Summer Knight and he began to cook the food while Laura sat down by the fire.

"You enjoying yourself so far Laura?" Quinton asked as he handed a can of soda to Noelle and took a seat nearby, "After all, we're going to be roughing it for a few days."

The Winter Knight smirked and poked at the fire with a stick, "I admit… I've never gone camping, but if everyone else enjoys it, I suppose I can tolerate it for a few days too. Besides, it might be interesting."

"That's the spirit!" Noelle said brightly while taking a seat beside her fellow female teammate, "Just think, tomorrow we can wake up early and maybe take a hike in the woods. Or maybe we could go fishing with the boys."

"Assuming she even wakes up tomorrow," Connor said with a good natured laugh while he grilled.

"Oh really? And why wouldn't I?" Laura said in a mild huff.

Connor smirked and gave his other friends a wink, "Because the Nightwalker might take you in your sleep."

"What nonsense are you going on about Connor?" Laura frowned.

The Summer Knight gave a sly look, "What? You've never heard of the Nightwalker? There have been a couple local stories about a sinister dark being that lurks in these very woods… watching and waiting for just the right moment to snatch an unsuspecting camper at night, preferably girls… but I'll save the grisly ghost stories for later when we go to bed."

Laura simply rolled her eyes and sighed while the others broke out into laughs and jokes before dinner was served. At this rate, she was sure it would be a very long night.

* * *

Elsewhere, the fading orange and red sunlight of the early summer evening hung over the valley as the Fomorian general Leanansidhe sat beside a small stream that ran through the verdant forest. She had come to clear her mind and enjoy some of the light and warmth away from the cold dark gloom of the Fomorian caverns. As she closed her eyes and dipped her feet into the cool running water, she was surprised when an object bumped against her ankle.

It appeared to have been carried downstream by the current and the witch reached down to pluck an intricate green colored glass bottle from the water. She frowned as she examined it and found that the top was sealed shut. It was too small to be a wine bottle and too large to be a perfume one too. She studied it a moment longer before her curiosity got the better of her and she undid the stopper and opened the bottle.

To her surprise, a billowing dark green jet of smoke erupted violently and swirled around the small forest clearing before it began to rematerialize into an ethereal humanoid shape. As the figure took form, Leanansidhe gasped in surprise as she laid her eyes on the familiar visage of someone from her past… a person who began to jog vivid memories. The figure was a woman with dark sinister features and a baleful gaze. She was the ancient Fey witch who had saved Leanne from the demon tithe when she was young. That very witch had guided her into the Faerie Realm and mentored her over several years until she fully embraced the way of the Faeries.

"Morgana… Morgana Le Fay," Leanansidhe gasped as the dark ethereal woman drew near, "What? How is this possible?"

The ghostly witch advanced and kept her gaze fixed on her former protégé, "Leanne MacClure… or rather Leanansidhe. It's been a long time child. I thank you for releasing me from my prison."

Leanansidhe held up the bottle in confusion, "I don't understand Mistress. What happened?"

Morgana cast her gaze out over the meadow, "Some bratty children had imprisoned me but now… now I can work to grow strong again and carry out my plans."

Leanansidhe frowned, "You're still ethereal. What will you do?"

"You will be my host body, child… until I grow strong again."

The Fomorian bit her lip hesitantly, "It won't be easy mistress… I've pledged my service to Lord Balor and the Fomorian Host. I have binding obligations to them."

"I see," Morgana said "We will work within those boundaries, but I'll have to ask you to trust me. Do you think you can do that?"

The younger witch took several deep breaths in silence before giving a nod and becoming engulfed in the dark green cloud of her former teacher's essence.

* * *

Later that night, after the campfire had burned down, all five knights slept soundly until Quinton gave a yawn and groggily sat up in the tent that he shared with the other boys. He looked over in the dark and saw Connor and Stephen fast asleep in their own sleeping bags before he moved to get out of the tent. He rubbed his eyes and mumbled to himself, "Shouldn't have had so much water before bed."

His attempt at going to the bathroom was stopped as he heard the sounds of movement outside. He froze and felt a twinge of fear as the sounds of rustling brush and shuffling footsteps seemed to be coming closer. The Spring Knight reached over and shook his two comrades awake while hissing quietly, "Connor! Stephen! Wake up! I heard something!"

"Oh geez Quin, go back to sleep. You must be dreaming," Connor mumbled as he tried to roll over.

He was interrupted as more sounds of movement rustled nearby in the darkness. Stephen blinked a few times and whispered quietly, "You guys don't think it's the Nightwalker, do you?"

"There is no Nightwalker. I made the whole thing up," Connor sighed as he sat up in annoyance at having been woken, "Seriously guys. It's probably just some raccoon and you're both acting like a pair of sissies."

He unzipped the tent and marched outside with a flashlight to confront the intruder. The moment the knight flicked on the switch, he nearly fell backwards in fear and surprise at the sight before him. Before him was a large hulking creature with a skeletal torso covered in shaggy fur. It had long arms, and wore a large animal skull over it's head where two glowing eyes burned and a pair of jagged antlers protruded from the sides.

"Whoah!" the Summer Knight shouted as he recoiled in terror and fell back to where Quinton and Stephen had joined him. The door to the cabin flew open and another flashlight went on as Laura and Noelle hurried outside in their pajamas to see what the commotion was about. As the monstrous beast turned its baleful glare toward them, they stopped in fright before grouping together to join the boys.

"What is that thing?" Laura gasped in fear while the creature got down on its haunches in a threatening position.

"I don't know, but if it's a Fomorian we've got to put it down," Stephen answered as he readied his archer's bracer.

The other knights followed suit and ignited the powers of their Celtic rings, " _Athru_!"

The large beastman gave a threatening snarl and padded closer as the armored knights drew their weapons and stood ready to face this unusual enemy. Before they could make any sort of counter move, they halted when they heard the voice of a familiar young woman from the darkness.

"I see you've met one of my new pets," Leanansidhe said as she stepped from the shadows. As she advanced, the knights could sense there was something a little different about the way she carried herself. It was more poised and filled with an eerily confident maliciousness. "The wendigos are hard beings to summon, but they're delightfully vicious creatures once they're tamed."

"I don't know what you've got planned here but you and shaggy over there picked the wrong campsite to mess with!" Connor called leveling his sword, "Let's go everyone!"

As the knights charged forward, Leanansidhe smiled and began to wave her own sword like a magical implement. While she did, she spoke in a double voice, mixed with that of the witch Morgana. "You don't know what kind of sorcery you're up against now!"

The witch fired a powerful rippling web of eldritch fey magic which surged across the campsite. Being at the end of the battle line, Noelle saw the attack coming and dove out of the way while the incoming blast struck each of her comrades and momentarily paralyzed them. The other knights cried out and immediately fell over to the ground. To Noelle's shock, she watched as the knights' armor dispelled and each of her friends were transformed into different animals, most of them small and harmless. Connor had become a reddish brown corgi dog while Laura morphed into a white and gray tabby cat. In place of Quinton and Stephen were a rabbit and a little falcon

"We'll make some sport of this," Leanansidhe-Morgana laughed as she signaled the Wendigo forward, "Easier prey for my pet to hunt down, but first…"

Noelle stood her ground and readied her sword, wondering how on earth she was going to take on the witch and a hulking demon at the same time.

Before anyone else could react, the headlights of a car lit up the campgrounds as a vehicle drove up quickly and stopped abruptly at the sight before it. The wendigo snarled and whipped its head toward the intruders while Leanansidhe and Noelle raised their hands to shield the glare of the light from their eyes. Both girls stood watching in wonder as two figures slowly stepped out of the car and turned to each other for a moment as if silently communicating. It was hard to tell in the shadows but one looked to be male and the other shorter one a female.

"Are you sure this is the right campground?" the female asked, "I don't remember reading about ugly witches and shaggy werewolves in the brochure."

The male shook his head in mild exasperation while Leanansidhe snarled "Who are you calling ugly?"

The two strangers straightened up hearing the familiar voice of Morgana and they stepped into the light. The male was a handsome young man who looked to be about the knights' age. He had short brown hair and wore glasses along with a red polo shirt and khakis. Beside him was a younger woman with similar facial features in jean shorts and a green tank top. Her long dirty blonde hair hung loose and lit up in the cars headlights.

"Aaron... you don't think that could really be Morgana... do you?" she said hesitantly.

He replied with an English accent, "I don't know Artemis. We'll have to figure that out later. Right now, there's a monster on the loose and people could get hurt. You ready to do this, sis?"

She nodded while producing a carved staff and giving it a wave while her brother Aaron pulled a device resembling a sword's crossguard and igniting it to form a red energy cross before him.

"Templar Power, Activate!"

"Druidic Powers, Unleashed!"

In a flash of red and green light, the two appeared to morph into new mysterious heroes to confront the villains. Aaron had become a knightly warrior in armor adorned in red and white while his younger sister Artemis took the form of a feminine green ranger bearing a nature motif of leaves and buds.

"The Templar Ranger and his bratty sister the Dryad Ranger... you two just have to keep getting in my way, don't you?" Morgana's voice called out angrily from Leanansidhe.

"The Mythos Rangers have beaten you once before Morgana and we'll do it again! As many times as it takes!" Aaron called while leveling a shining longsword at the witch.

"What the hell is going on here?" Noelle gasped in shock as she stepped back to the sidelines to try and shield her fellow knights that were now milling about the campsite as animals.

Leanansidhe waved the monstrous wendigo forward, "Go! Kill them!"

Noelle watched in awe as the Red Templar Ranger met the great beast head on and halted it in its tracks. His blade clashed with the jaws and nails of the snapping monster and momentarily deflected it away allowing for the Dryad Ranger to tumble past and smash her staff against one of the monster's ankles. The hulking wendigo buckled for a moment and stumbled to its knee from having lost its balance.

Without wasting a beat, Artemis twirled her nature staff and called upon several thick vines to erupt from the ground the blind the wendigo like living strands of rope. After seeing an opening, Aaron charged his blade and the Templar Ranger slashed the beast, wounding it in the neck with a vicious blow that sent it reeling to the side and dropping it in a stunned heap. After seeing her brute thoroughly trounced, Leanansidhe gave a frustrated growl and waved her sword, halting the two Mythos Rangers with a purplish pulse of dark necrotic magic to keep them back.

"Enjoy this little victory you two. I promise I will be prepared to deal with you properly the next time!" Morgana's voice echoed as Leanansidhe took on her gaseous form and swept over the battlefield. She scooped up the wendigo and evaporated from the battlefield leaving everyone coughing and momentarily blinded. Once the smoke cleared, Aaron kept his gaze on the night sky where the witch had retreated before turning to his sister, "Artemis, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said before pointing to the startled form of Noelle who approached and removed her helmet, "I... thank you for the help. Who are you?"

The two Mythos Rangers exchanged a look and powered down before offering reassuring gestures, "My name is Aaron Du Lac and this is my little sister Artemis. We were passing through on our way to the college and we came to spend the night here. Are you alright, Miss..."

"Noelle Moreau," she replied shaking hands with the two and powering down herself.

"I didn't know there were other Power Rangers here in Somerset Valley," Aaron said with a confused frown while adjusting his glasses.

"Well... not exactly Power Rangers per say," Noelle admitted while brandishing her Autumn ring, "My friends and I are more like fellow magic knights caught up in a war of the Faerie people."

"So... it looks like your friends were kinda asleep at the switch," Artemis said while poking around the trashed campsite, "You're the only one who bothered showing up to fight those monsters?"

"That's the problem. My fellow knights are here. You're looking at them," Noelle sighed as Stephen perched on the nearby tent while Quinton came hopping over to nibble at some roots. Connor gave a playful bark and started jumping around the visitors trying to get someone to pet him so Artemis obliged, "Aww, look! It's a cute little doggy!"

Aaron stopped and looked down as he saw the feline form of Laura come by and rub herself against his leg before giving a meow.

"I see. This is going to be a problem," Aaron grimaced, "Morgana's magic is incredibly powerful and if she's returned..."

Noelle scooped up Laura and Quinton, "You say you know what's going on here? That witch Leanansidhe is an enemy of ours, but she's grown significantly powerful. Who is this Morgana?"

"We may be able to fill in a few gaps but this might not be the best place to do it," Aaron shrugged.

"Then let's all head back into town. I can take us to place where we can get help," the Autumn Knight said as she began to try and wrangle her transformed friends, "Now if you'll excuse me for a few minutes here..."

Aaron nodded and turned in surprise to find his sister rummaging around by the remains of the campfire where some leftover S'more ingredients where set aside in a cooler. She had already begun helping herself to some marshmallows and graham crackers and stopped only when she met the reproving frown of her brother. He crossed his arms and gave a narrow look, "Artemis? What are you doing?"

"I'm hungry! It's not my fault we didn't stop for dinner on the way here!" she protested, "Besides, we can't fight monsters on an empty stomach, right?"

Aaron sighed and headed back toward the car while shaking his head, "I think you've been spending too much time with our own Pink Ranger Lexa."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Thanks again to** ** _Stormasius_** **for all the help in coordinating the plot of this last crossover and letting me borrow your Rangers for a little while. For anyone interested in Rangers who encounter and battle all sorts of mythical beings, be sure to check out his series PR: Mythos.**


	38. The Druid's Apprentice

**Episode 19: Part 2  
**

Early that morning Kristen Bloom gave a tired yawn and shuffled back into her apartment's living room holding a teapot and some cups. After having been awakened at four in the morning by Noelle's emergency phone call, the young Druid was too tired to care about her appearance as her visitors sat waiting. If anyone was going to complain about her messily tied up hair, her old green night robe and the bags under her eyes, then they could just sit outside instead. In a way, it was also blessing that this was a Saturday and that her shop was closed today too.

As she served the tea, Kristen watched in dismay as Noelle hustled around the room trying to keep several animals... or rather, the other knights under control. On the couch, Aaron took a cup of tea gratefully and gave a contrite look, "I'm terribly sorry about all this Miss Bloom. I'm sure the last thing you need right now is a bunch of strangers and animals intruding on your home this early in the morning.

"Well... no use in complaining," Kristen sighed as she poured herself a cup, "When you're helping to guard the valley, you're kind of on call twenty four-seven anyway."

"I'm still getting over the fact that you're an actual ranked Druid with an official Order and everything," Artemis remarked as she studied some of the Celtic decor of Kristen's apartment and the Druid staff propped up in a corner by a bookshelf, "I mean... that's so cool!"

"Missy here's had some exposure to Druidic magic, but she's never really met any official ones or gotten formal instruction," Aaron pointed out as he took a sip.

"Ah geez! Do you really have to use that silly nickname around others?" Artemis mumbled in mild annoyance toward her brother as she came to sit down with him, "It's bad enough you dragged me all the way out here from Castelan to look at colleges for next year."

Kristen cleared her throat and tried to cut off any further sibling squabbles, "But I doubt touring Somerset University is the least of everyone's concerns now, am I right?"

Everyone stopped to see the rabbit form of Quinton hop over curiously and snuffle around near Artemis. Noelle came over and handed the younger girl a carrot from the fridge to feed him with and give him something to nibble on. Meanwhile, Stephen the falcon had perched on the top of a tall bookshelf to take a nap while the dog and cat forms of Connor and Laura began to squabble and tussle on the rug.

"Hey! Break it up you two!" Noelle called as she separated them. Laura gave a sniff and skulked off to a corner to lick herself clean while Noelle carried Connor over to her chair and placed him on her lap while she sat. The corgi stopped squirming and simply curled up contentedly while she started petting him and listened in on the conversation.

"From what you told me, it sounds like this Morgana has somehow possessed the Faerie Leanansidhe and is using her as a vessel to carry out her plans. This wouldn't be The Morgana Le Fay of ancient Arthurian lore... is it? Many younger Druids still speak about her with fear."

"The very one Miss Bloom," Aaron nodded gravely, "My fellow Rangers and I have battled her on numerous occasions and she's even possessed my sister in the same way once before."

Artemis momentarily shivered at the memories before sighing, "It's too bad Merlin or Lancelot aren't around to help us stop her. I thought she was going to be sealed for good when that John Constantine guy bottled her up last."

"Merlin? Lancelot? And Constantine?" Kristen and Noelle exclaimed together incredulously.

The Autumn Knight shook her head, "What the... I thought he was just some comic book television character."

"Oh, in a way... he's a bit of a myth himself," Aaron explained, "Trust me... whatever you think you know about him from the media is a load of rubbish."

Kristen rubbed her eyes tiredly, "Okay... so let me get this straight. We've got a fey witch who is now superpowered by an ancient evil entity, an eight foot tall wendigo on the rampage, and our entire team has been turned into a petting zoo."

"Yup. Sounds about right," Artemis said as she continued to feed Quinton a carrot and stroke his rabbit ears.

Noelle cast a worried glance to their mentor, "Kristen, what are we going to do? What if the Fomorians regroup and attack again?"

The Druid stood up and paced the room thoughtfully, "First thing's first. To start, we'll have to find a way to undo Morgana's curse."

"Piece of cake. You're a master Druid right?" Artemis said hopefully, "I'm sure you know a spell to fix everything in a snap."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Kristen sighed, "Morgana is an ancient evil and her magic is far more powerful than most of us. If I'm going to hope to try and reverse it, I'm going to need something that will help inhibit the power of witches."

Aaron raised a curious eyebrow, "That something being?"

"I was thinking of using ingredients from a Rowan tree," Kristen answered, "Throughout much of early history, people believed that the tree had powers to help ward off evil and counter witchcraft. Many people in England and the Druids of Europe thought that to be true."

Connor started to stir restlessly but calmed down when Noelle began scratching behind his ears, "All right... so we just find a Rowan tree in the woods and that's it, right?"

"Again... not that simple," Kristen sighed, "If we were going head to head with a vanilla mortal witch, then yes. But we're going to need something far more potent. We're going to need some Rowan from the Faerie Realm. I know of a grove in the region of Summer, but it's protected by fierce guardians. I can't do this alone."

"I'll go," Aaron volunteered but the Druid shook her head.

"No. We're going to need people here to help slow down the Fomorians if they attack again. Noelle, this is your hometown so you're going to be needed here too."

The Autumn Knight nodded, "I understand. I'll help take care of the others here too until you return."

"I guess that leaves just me then, huh?" Artemis said hesitantly.

"Well, you did say you were kind of a Druid too, weren't you?"

Artemis gave a reluctant groan, "Yeah, but this whole thing isn't going to involve any more studying or learning new spells... will it?"

The older Druid magically called her own staff from the corner and caught it in her hand, "Get your things ready kiddo. We'll leave in an hour."

* * *

Deep in the underground caverns where the Fomorians called home, Leanansidhe made her way into the Great Hall of Lord Balor. Upon entering, she saw several warriors standing guard while the warlord sat upon his iron chair. At the foot of the throne, the redcap Seamus Killarny waited with a bored look while he filed his nails. The murderous faerie disguised in fine blood red clothes had recovered from his injuries and took on his glamored Elvish form once again.

Upon the throne, Balor regarded his other general with irritation as she entered, "Leanansidhe, where have you been? I do not retain you to sit idle and waste time."

Seamus snorted in amusement but kept his mouth shut while the witch eyed him threateningly before turning to her master. "Lord Balor, I've been busy tending to the injuries of a new creature I had summoned. I had called forth a wendigo and wanted to surprise you, but those meddling knights got in the way."

Seamus stopped in surprise while Balor sat back in his chair with a lighter expression. "A wendigo... that is impressive. You must be getting stronger then?"

"I had been devoting some extra time to practice and grow stronger in order to serve," Leanansidhe replied with an ingratiating smile.

Balor mumbled to himself a moment and scratched his chin, "Very well. Once your beast has fully recovered, I want you to go level that town and bring me the rings of those knights. Do I make myself clear?"

"Of course Lord Balor. I will do as you ask."

* * *

Upon exiting the portal space, Artemis blinked her eyes and looked around to examine her surroundings. She was standing in a lush sunny orchard with all sorts of colorful flowers and unique trees growing all over the place. The air was warm and balmy with a faint hint of the flowers' perfume hanging in the air. For a moment, it was like she was standing in a beautifully maintained botanical garden during a perfect summer day. Alongside her, Kristen stood holding her own staff and wearing her green Druid robes of the Juniper Order.

"Wow! That was very cool!" Artemis grinned as she stopped to admire some colorful pixies flit by in the air, "I had no idea the Faerie Realm would be so pretty!"

Kristen kept her eyes on their surroundings to scan for signs of danger, "It's a double edged sword here Artemis, just like nature. This realm is pristine and beautiful, but it's also very primal and dangerous."

"So... where are we exactly?"

The older Druid began to walk down a lane in the orchard, "This is an orchard belonging to the noble Faeries of the Summer Court. While the fey of this region are generally more friendly toward humans, the guardians who protect their holdings will probably be much less understanding so we have to tread carefully."

The younger girl nodded and walked close beside Kristen as they made their way deeper into the wooded area. "Um... how are we going to find these Rowan trees? It's not like there are signs or arrows posted around here."

"We do what all Druids are trained to do. We open our senses, concentrate, and then become one with our surroundings."

Artemis tilted her head curiously and gave a skeptical look, "You guys can really do that? You can really do the whole commune with the nature spirits and stuff?"

"Not if you keep talking," Kristen sighed patiently while closing her eyes and clearing her mind. The girl watched quietly as Kristen stood in what looked to be some sort of meditative trance and glow with a gentle green aura. The older Druid used her training to extend her senses outward while attuning herself to the realm of Summer and the vibrant life energy which flowed through the place. After a minute, Kristen opened her eyes and smiled, "I found them. Follow me."

Artemis followed and continued to look around the beautiful orchard lands in awe, "That's pretty amazing. Do you think I'd be able to do that one day?"

"If you're willing to put in the time and commitment, I'm sure you could."

Artemis wrinkled her nose, "I dunno. Studying and training has never really been my thing. Part of the reason my brother and I came all the way up to Somerset Valley from Pennsylvania was because he wanted me to get serious about school and the idea of college. Sometimes I think the whole thing is a big waste."

"Maybe... but doesn't mean we shouldn't keep learning and trying to improve ourselves," Kristen mused thoughtfully, "We could all stand to do that. I've been teaching the other knights quite a bit... maybe I could show you a thing or two as well."

Artemis mumbled quietly as Kristen grinned, "You know... in a way, I was a little like you when I was a bit younger. In addition to going to school and learning everything I needed to, my family insisted that I follow tradition and master the Druid arts too. I thought learning it was a waste of time early on too."

"What made you change your mind?" Artemis asked curiously.

"Well... one of the things Druids learn is how connected and interdependent all beings of the earth are with each other. When you put that in perspective, you realize that you've got a role to fulfill and a lot of people depend on you... especially when it comes to stopping the Fomorians and helping support the other Hibernian Knights."

Artemis smiled faintly at the wise words and nodded quietly, "Those are some wise words Miss Bloom. I think I'd like to be as smart and cool when I'm as old as you. I'll bet being one with nature and all help keeps you just as pretty, right?"

"Oh for Christ's sake, I'm not that old!" Kristen grumbled while throwing her hands up in exasperation.

After a short walk, the two women finally came upon a clearing where a few large boulders sat in the grove. Growing atop them where thick hardy looking trees with somewhat knarled branches bearing distinct red berries. The Druid stopped and pointed forward with her staff, "There it is! Those are flying Rowan trees. If lore holds correctly, we should be able to use the wood and berries of those trees to create powerful counter charms against Morgana's sorcery."

"Fair point... except there's a little bit of a problem," Artemis gulped. She pointed forward toward an edge of the glade where two large guardians spotted them and lumbered closer. The guardians of the orchard were large broadly built warriors who resembled humanoid elephants. Each wore heavy steel body armor over the red robes of Summer and they carried intimidating looking mauls. "What do we do now?"

Kristen swallowed hard and stood tall while gripping her staff tightly, "First we try not to pick a fight with the Summer Court... but if all else fails... we do whatever it takes to get at those trees and escape."

Artemis swallowed some fear as she watched the elephant warriors approach and she gripped her own staff. If push came to shove, she was hoping she could learn some handy new combat spells or moves from Kristen... and learn them really fast.

* * *

Back at Kristen's apartment, Noelle went about doing an afternoon round of zoo-keeping duty to make sure the other knights were safe and cared for. Both she and Aaron had taken naps earlier in the day and now played the waiting game, either for the Druids to return or for the enemy to attack. While Noelle worked, Aaron busied himself in the kitchen, using his own talent at cooking to make some homemade chicken stew from scratch.

While Noelle felt bad for her transformed friends, it was also kinda fun getting a little practice at some things that a veterinarian might have to deal with. She had used a wire wastebasket as a birdcage for Stephen and changed the newspaper lining underneath before going to set down Quinton in a cardboard box with a blanket to keep him safe. As she did, she heard Laura whine and paw at her leg until the Autumn Knight fetched her some water and put it in a little dish on the floor, "Relax girl. I didn't forget about you."

After giving the cat a light pet on the head, she turned and heard a small ruckus in the other side of the apartment near the bedroom door. The Autumn Knight hurried over and found Connor shaking one of Kristen's slippers in his mouth before trying to scurry away. She immediately picked the little dog up and pulled the slipper away, "Oh no you don't. You're a lot of trouble, you know that?"

The corgi tiled his head and licked her cheek before giving a bark. She sighed and affectionately snuggled with the dog while carrying him back into the living room, "Yeah... you're just lucky I think you're cute."

"Ah, were you talking about the dog or your friend inside?" Aaron gently teased as he walked in carrying some bowls of soup.

"Oh... well the dog of course," Noelle sheepishly answered as she set Connor down and he darted off to play some more. "Uh... you don't think my friends know what's going on right now, do you?"

Aaron glanced at the little menagerie in the room and gave a non-committal shrug while handing her some soup, "Who knows?"

Noelle grimaced and began to eat, "I hope Kristen and Artemis get back soon."

Aaron gave a thoughtful look and chuckled, "Don't worry. I know my sister can seem like a little bit of a ditz, but when things get tough you can always rely on her to pull through."

Before they could talk more, they heard Kristen's cell phone ring from a nearby countertop. Noelle sprung to her feet to retrieve it while Aaron frowned, "Miss Bloom didn't take her phone?"

"It's not like it'd do her any good in the Faerie Realm, right?" Noelle replied as she answered the call, "Hello? Mr. O'Doyle? Yes... it's Noelle."

Aaron stopped eating and listened while the Autumn Knight spoke on the phone to some Mr. O'Doyle and briefly explained the situation.

"Okay... got it. We're on the way," Noelle finished as she turned to her new ally, "That was a local friend of ours, an elder Druid. He says there's trouble. It looks like the monsters might be back."

Aaron rose quickly and headed for the door, "All right then. There's no time to waste. Let's go!"

Noelle moved to follow him before stopping to address her animal friends one more time, "I promise we'll be back soon. Please... just behave, okay?"

She closed the door behind her and hurried off hoping that for the time being, this would all be enough.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Happy New Years everyone! It's been a good past year and I want to say thanks again to all the people who read and enjoy my work. You're all awesome and I appreciate the support. I look forward to another great year of adventures and fun talking with you guys too. Take care and here's wishing everyone a wonderful new start!**


	39. Fight and Flight

**Episode 20: Part 1  
**

The bright glare of the warm sun filtered down through the trees of the Summer Orchard as the pair of elephant guards stalked closer with their menacing hammer weapons. Artemis eyed them warily and quickly called on her powers to morph into the Mythos Dryad Ranger. "Kristen... what are those things?"

"Loxodons," the Druid replied as she held her ground and stepped forward to meet them, "Hopefully we can reason with them."

Kristen planted her staff in the ground, "Hail! I am a Druid of the Juniper Order and..."

"And you have no business being here," one of the loxodons replied threateningly, "You've trespassed on lands belonging to the Sidhe lords of Summer. Drop your weapons and surrender now!"

"There seems to be a misunderstanding," Kristen continued while keeping her voice forceful but level, "If you'll but give us a chance to explain we'll..."

The loxodon guards didn't wait any longer to negotiate and instead gave a belligerent trumpeting sound from their trunks before charging forward with their mauls. Kristen raised her staff and immediately began calling upon her own Druidic magic, "Artemis, the Rowan trees! Go now and fetch the components! I'll hold these guys off!"

"But..."

"Don't argue with me! Do it now!" Kristen shouted as she swung her staff and blocked the guards' advance with a sudden wall of soil and earth that rose up before her.

Artemis broke left and sprinted for the tall boulders where the red trees grew atop them. As she neared, the Dryad Ranger began calling up magic of her own to have the earth and roots before her rise up into a line of stairs for her to climb. She quickly bounded up the steps and stopped at one of the trees before she pulled free a bag that she was carrying to store the items.

While Artemis scrambled and hurriedly collected some large branches, strips of bark, and handfuls of red berries from the Rowan trees, she watched as Kristen skillfully danced and dodged around the awkward blows of the burly guardians while keeping them off balance with her staff. As she got into position, she called upon a burst of swirling air to lift her up over another blow from the mauls. Once Kristen reached the peak of her leap, she turned her staff down and blasted the two guards back several feet by a bolt of lightning. The way in which the young master Druid was able to hold her own and seamlessly shift between calling on different natural elements was impressive and Artemis could only stand in awe while watching the display.

Unfortunately, the lightning strike didn't do much to stagger the loxodon warriors with their heavy magic armor plating and their naturally thick skin. Shrugging off powerful blows really shouldn't have been unusual for them either. One of the guardians charged past and tried to gore the Druid with his tusks but Kristen nimbly spun sideways and backed up towards the boulders as the loxodons closed in and began to corner her.

Artemis watched in concern as the elephant men closed before she decided to step in and take action to help her ally. Kristen backed up to the boulder desperately trying to come up with a countermove until several bright bolts of energy were fired from above. To the Druid's surprise, the bolts struck the forehead of one of the loxodons and blew off his helmet, dropping the guard into an unconscious heap.

As she looked up, she saw the Dryad Ranger leap down from the boulder and land on the other elephant man's head with both her feet. Artemis kick-flipped backwards and stunned the loxodon just enough for Kristen to sweep her staff around and cause the earth underneath the guardian to erupt into a geyser of soil and toss the warrior high into the air. Both women watched as the loxodon fell back and landed on his head with a sickening crunch, causing the guardian to fall unconscious from the sudden direct blow to the skull.

"Whew... thanks for the save," Kristen sighed gratefully as she leaned on her staff, "Though I didn't recognize that blasting spell you used just now."

Artemis snorted in amusement and handed off the bag with the Rowan tree spell components, "Another friend of mine taught me that one a while back. He called them Magic Missiles."

"All right kid, what do you say we get out of here? I think we've worn out our welcome in the Orchard, don't you think?"

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Somerset Valley Noelle and Aaron arrived on the scene at the edge of town as a fresh platoon of spriggan soldiers marched alongside the combined might of Leanansidhe, Seamus the redcap, the Morgana's hulking wendigo. As they watched the enemy advance toward them, Aaron stood calmly while several townspeople began to flee. "So... this is what you're normally up against, huh? You guys certainly have your hands full up here."

"Normally the odds are little more balanced," Noelle muttered uncomfortably, "Watch out for the guy with the red hat. He's a commander too and he's able to hulk out."

Aaron nodded as the two morphed and stood to block the road, "Understood. Which dance partner do you want?"

The Autumn Knight drew her sword and thought it over, "You're the veteran Ranger here so maybe you should go after Morgana. I'll try to slow down the brutes and buy you time."  
"Try to cut the head off the snake first... sounds like a plan," Aaron nodded as the monsters drew near.

"What an unfortunate turnout," Morgana-Leanansidhe laughed while the spriggans fanned out,

"Only two of you? I thought we'd have more of a welcoming party to greet us."

Seamus glanced over in confusion as he heard an unknown voice mixed in with Leanansidhe's.

"We'll do more than just greet you Morgana. We'll show you the way to the door and send you packing for good," Aaron retorted as he raised his own longsword into a battle stance.  
Seamus frowned and turned to his fellow commander, "What is going on here? Is this some kind of trick?"

The witch smiled and waved him forward with the wendigo, "A trick on them redcap. Perhaps you'd care for the glory in this battle?"

Seamus eyed her carefully before changing forms into his troll shape and charging into battle alongside the wendigo. Morgana and her student simply crossed their arms and waited patiently in the rear ranks. After all, why put themselves at needless risk when there were small minded brutes on their side willing to do it for them?

The two knights met the spriggans first and carved through the front rank. For the Templar Ranger, the fey footsoldiers were nothing compared to some of the other monstrous minions he had battled before such as shades, demons, and undead zombies. As they cleared a path, the brutes came next to challenge them on the streets. The snarling wendigo came barreling forward and instead of meeting the charge, Noelle sidestepped the monster and used a reverse slash to try and hamstring it from behind. The monster's thick fur and hide absorbed most of the blade's damage, but it was still enough to momentarily stagger it.

Calling on a burst of Autumn Wind, the knight hurled her blade like a boomerang and clipped off a chunk of the wendigo's antlers while summoning her steed and charging forward. She caught the boomerang blade and set it for a passing cavalry style attack but the monster surprised her with a breath weapon and caught her in a cloud of sulfurous gas as she neared. The horse halted and reared sideways as Noelle sputtered blindly giving the beast just enough of a chance to use its good antler to knock her out of the saddle.

As the unseated knight rolled away on the ground, she shook off the stunning impact just long enough to unsummon her horse and raise her guard against a follow up swipe from the wendigo. Nearby, Aaron battled the redcap Seamus and fended him off with his sword. Despite the troll's greater strength and thicker hide, the Templar Ranger pressed the attack and kept him on the defensive. Seamus grunted as he deflected another blow, "I don't know who you are, but your armor is going to make fine trophy for my lair."

"No thanks. I wear this red armor a lot better than you wear that red foppy hat," Aaron retorted as he slashed Seamus aside with a magically charged attack. He leveled his blade at the witch in the rear line, "And now for you Morgana!"

"You go no further Templar Ranger!" the witch cackled as she summoned a large crackling ball of necrotic magic and hurled it toward the veteran knight. Aaron gasped and raised his blade to meet the magic attack as it pushed against his sword. He gritted his teeth and despite his best effort, the intense power of the supercharged spell threw him back and deflected away into a storefront blowing the windows wide open.

As Aaron and Noelle regrouped and fell back against the Fomorian onslaught, they both stopped when a green messenger pixie flitted on to the scene and whispered a few quick words into the Autumn Knight's ears before winking out.

"Kristen and Artemis did it!" she said to Aaron, "They're back and getting our friends back to normal."

"Good. We'll regroup then. I think a temporary retreat would be in order right now, don't you think?" Aaron nodded.

Noelle called up her steed and another powerful gust of Autumn Wind to kick up dust and soil to momentarily blind their enemies. Once the knights made their escape on the horse that moved as fast as the wind, the dust subsided and the remaining Fomorians regrouped on the streets.

"They retreated! What was that about?" Seamus groaned as he held his arm and shuffled back to the huddle. Nearby the wendigo pitched over a car and restlessly snarled.

"Let them run," Leanansidhe said calmly as she continued to walk forward, "Wherever they ran to, we'll find them eventually. For now, we'll hold our position and call in more reinforcements before we continue the invasion."

As he watched her marched on, Seamus frowned and wondered where the strange new attitude and powers exhibited by his rival was coming from. He debated on informing Balor about it when he returned, but for now he would watch and wait.

* * *

Back at the apartment, Kristen inspected her home while Artemis finished stirring together their newest magic concoction on the stove. "Between the gargoyles in my shop and now this? I guess the good news is the animals didn't mess the place up too much. How's the potion coming along Artemis?"

"All done," Artemis replied as she carried in the saucepan, "I reduced in the tree bark and the berry juice at the end just as you wanted."

"Okay good, let's just hope the knights are feeling thirsty right now," Kristen muttered as she gingerly removed Stephen from his makeshift cage.

The small falcon flapped its wings irritably and started squawking before being placed over the pot filled with the Rowan tree potion. One by one, each of the animals was carried over and made to drink some of the liquid before the older Druid picked up her staff and began to recite a Gaelic counter-charm to restore the knights to their true forms. Again, Artemis sat back and watched as the four creatures began to glow with a gentle light before miraculously returning to their human forms. All four of them sat dazed and confused on the floor, trying to make sense of their surroundings.

"What happened? Where are we?" Quinton said while shaking his head and rubbing his eyes.

"That's a long story. Right now you're safe in my apartment," Kristen said as she helped her younger students rise to their feet. "The Fomorians are at it again and they've gotten some help from a powerful witch. Fortunately, we've got some help recently too. This is Artemis."

"Err... nice to meet you guys... again," the girl said giving a little wave to her new allies, "You guys had all been turned into animals... but you don't remember anything, do you?"

"Not in the slightest," Laura answered while unconsciously licking her wrist and brushing it over her hair one last time.

Everyone stopped and stared at her for a moment before Connor wrinkled his features, "I don't remember anything either... but I've kinda got a funny taste in my mouth right now."

"Maybe because you've been a bad dog lately?" Kristen sighed in dismay while holding a chewed up slipper.

"Gross," Stephen muttered in mixed disgust and amusement.

The Summer Knight wore an embarrassed look, "Oh... uh, sorry about that Kristen. Let me guess, that one's coming out of my next paycheck, isn't it?"

"Oh yeah."

Before the others could continue their conversation, the door opened and both Noelle and Aaron entered looking a little windblown and spent. The other knights gathered around Noelle a moment happy to see that their other friend was safe before turning to the Templar Ranger.

Kristen cleared her throat, "Everyone, meet the leader of our new allies, the Mythos Rangers..."

"Aaron Du Lac..." Laura interrupted in wide eyed shock.

Aaron froze when he saw her too, "Laura Gremory... is that really you?"

"Wait! You two know each other?" Stephen cut in, but Laura ignored him and stepped forward.  
The Winter Knight trembled and reached out her hands to pull his shirt collar. Her lip quivered and everyone stood in shock as she suddenly raised her hand and slapped him across the chin with her hand.

"Where have you been?" she demanded as tears began welling up in her eyes.

"Laura... I... I'm sorry. A lot has happened, I don't..." he stammered dumbly.

Everyone in the room continued to stare at the drama unfolding before them as Laura buried her face in the Templar Rangers chest and began to cry, "It's been four years Aaron! Why did you never write me back?"


	40. Myth and Legend

**Episode 20: Part 2  
**

"It's been four long years. You never replied to me," Laura said as she sniffled and wept bitterly, "I thought the worst... that you didn't want to be my friend anymore."

Everyone remained silent and confused while watching Laura's unusually emotional outburst before Aaron gently out his arms around the girl and held her while she cried, "Laura... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know you had written. Everything got so jumbled up when our families separated and I came over here to the States. I didn't even know you were here too."

"Well... I missed you," she sniffled again as she continued to hug him.

Aaron smiled and kissed the top of her head in relief, "Yeah... me too."

Stephen stirred uncomfortably before Connor placed a steadying hand on his shoulder to keep him quiet.

"Everyone... there's a lot to discuss," Aaron finally said, "Our enemies have halted momentarily so we'll have to make this moment of peace count."

After getting settled again, brief introductions were made and the situation was reviewed for everyone's benefit.

"So you and Laura were childhood friends back in England?" Quinton asked as the knights all gathered around Kristen's living room table, "And you both came from aristocratic families?"

"That's the long and short of it," Laura nodded once she had regained some semblance of her composure and dried her eyes. "When Aaron and I were separated in our moves... I... it was very difficult for me. He was... well, one of the only people I trusted and someone who understood me back home. I had tried to write him and get back into contact but he just disappeared."

"I'm sure becoming a Power Ranger yourself didn't help matters either," Stephen pointed out as Aaron nodded, "Yes. Between battling all kind of mythical enemies with my friends in the town of Castelan, it's been one shock after the other: being a Ranger, reconnecting with my sister, and among other things... finding Laura again."

"Well as it stands, it seems we owe you and your sister Artemis big time for holding the line and keeping an eye on things here," Connor said extending a hand to Aaron, "Thank you for the help."

Both red knights exchanged a grin and shared a firm handshake before Stephen looked to their mentor, "Kristen, you had said that the pieces of the Rowan trees of the Faerie Realm were able to neutralize Morgana's magic. Is there a way we can keep that advantage when we face her again? I'd rather not be turned into a pigeon or something again."

The Druid nodded and produced several small pendants made of tree bark that were shaped like simple Celtic crosses. "The potion you drank earlier should help in the short term for warding off some of her magic, but if you wear these, you'll have a greater degree of protection. Proximity to the charms may allow you to harm her if you get close, but I can't be totally certain either."

"What about Leanansidhe? It sounds like she's currently being used as some vessel for Morgana," Noelle said in concern.

"Then we kill two witches with one stone, right?" Artemis asked.

Connor frowned and gave a troubled expression, "I... I'd like to try and find another way if we can. I think Leanansidhe may be a childhood friend of mine too."

Aaron adjusted his glasses and gave a sigh, "Boy, Morgana can certainly pick them can't she?"

Quinton clapped the Summer Knight's shoulder reassuringly, "When the battle starts, let's just focus on taking out that wendigo and Seamus first. When Morgana finds out her magic won't be as effective against us, we can figure out what to do with her then."

"Thanks Quin," Connor nodded with a faint smile.

"Okay, so now that we're all square we need to get a move on. The Fomorians are going to be on the move soon and we won't have a lot of time," Noelle said rising to her feet.

Laura put a hand on her comrade's arm, "You've done a fine job taking care of things here Noelle. Now it's time for the rest of us to pull our weight."

Aaron gave a faint smile, "We're really going to do this? Go into battle together?"

Stephen placed his magic archer bracer on and rose to his feet, "We've got a little score to settle with this Morgana lady. She needs to know that this is our turf."

"Can't argue with that," Connor smiled grimly as he followed the Silver Knight toward the door, "So let's get going. Time's a wasting."

* * *

At the other side of town, the Fomorian invaders resumed their rampage and began to make their advance near the edge of the college town's campus. As the spriggans and wendigo continued to march down the street sowing chaos and discord, Seamus walked alongside Leanansidhe and cast a careful sideways glance, "We haven't met any more resistance. Have the knights really lost their will to fight?"

"I have taken care of most of them," Leanansidhe smiled calmly, "The other two barely escaped. Even if they return, they'll be in no position to threaten us."

"You sound awfully sure of yourself."

The witch continued on, "Just a little further Seamus and we'll be able to strike at any point of the this town and conquer it in Lord Balor's name."

"Guess again Morgana!" came the voice of the Dryad Ranger as the Hibernian Knights and Mythos Rangers made their appearance on the battlefield. A gust of wind rushed by and the protectors of Somerset Valley dismounted their faerie mounts to confront the invaders. The spriggans and the redcap halted immediately at the sight of the seven young people.

"That's far enough Fomorian," Connor said stepping forward and raising his ring along with the other knights, "Everyone ready?"

The other four knights brandished their rings and bracer transforming in unison, "Athru!"

"Templar Power, Activate!"

"Druidic Energies, Unleash!"

Leanansidhe-Morgana sneered as she watched the band of heroes arm themselves for battle in the brilliant shimmering light of mythic and Faerie magic. The seven heroes placed their weapons together before raising them in unison while the knights adjusted their rallying cry, "Seven swords, One Heart! Hibernian Knights, to arms!"

Seamus scowled at Leanansidhe and shook his head, "I don't know what kind of trick you're playing, but we'll deal with this later witch. Spriggans, on me!"

The witch sniffed and waved her wendigo forward as the frontline of the Fomorians charged forward to meet the knights in melee combat.

"Stephen, if you'd be so kind?" Laura asked as the Silver Kight sprinted forward and stopped to crouch and ready a charged arrow shot.

"I'm on it!"

He fired the arrow into the front rank of enemy infantry and blasted a hole through the spriggan formation. As the arrow detonated, it left a dazzling cloud of light to momentarily blind and daze the foot soldiers as if they had been caught in the blast of a stun grenade. The other knights and Mythos Rangers charged through, battering their way clear and splitting off to deal with the brutes next.

Noelle, Quinton, and Artemis confronted Seamus and met the redcap's counter-charge. The troll-like monster took a few broad swipes but the Dryad Ranger slipped under his guard and twirled her staff up calling on a mote of earth to rise up and smash the monster in the chin like an uppercut punch. As the redcap staggered back, Artemis stunned him again with a burst of her magical missiles followed by a combined leaping slash from the Autumn and Spring Knights.

Across the battlefield, the other three knights were locked in battle with the hulking wendigo. Connor confronted the beast waving his Elven blade like a blazing torch to ward off its advance. While it was momentarily distracted, Aaron and Laura split off and flanked the monster from both sides and attacked with thrusting sword attacks. They struck glancing blows off the shoulder of the wendigo but it pivoted with surprising agility and backpedaled into a more primal four legged stance. It snarled and bared its fearsome teeth trying to intimidate the knights but now that the odds were in their favor, the three didn't show any signs of fear.

The deftly shifted formation and met the wendigo's renewed charge with Laura in the forefront holding her icy rapier ready. She waved the blade generating a cloud of intense cold and ice before directing the ice shards to pelt the monster and slow it down while inflicting a storm of cuts upon it. As the wendigo stumbled forward and staggered to a halt, it attempted to use its noxious breath weapon again and spew a cloud of sulphur gas. It was immediately stopped as the blinding ice cloud cleared revealing the Templar Ranger and Summer Knight bursting through with their blades ignited at full strength. The monster howled as the two heavy swords cleaved through it and incinerated its body with their fiery magic. Both swordsman exchanged a fist bump and turned to give a nod toward Laura for the assist while the other regrouped around them. A bruised Seamus straggled back in the wake of the heroes now seeing his spriggan escorts wiped out and Leanansidhe as the last line of defense.

The witch sneered and stepped forward speaking in her double voice again, "I grow tired of this. I'll just have to deal with you myself!"

She gathered together another cracking ball of necrotic magic energy and fired it at the seven heroes. They raised their weapons and took defensive positions before the magic attack deflected off their armor and scattered harmlessly like a thunderbolt getting grounded by a lightning rod. Morgana-Leanansidhe stopped in shock when she saw her enemies relatively unharmed. Whatever they had done to restore their true forms, they must have found a way to temporarily negate her powers. She'd have to find another way to defeat the enemies of Balor.

The witch growled and waved her hand before withdrawing in a cloud of mist, "We'll finish this some other day."

Before the knights or their Mythos Ranger allies could react, the cloud of mist swept over them and carried Seamus away from the battlefield leaving the town once again safe and secure.

"Morgana! We can't let her get away," Aaron growled as he clenched his sword and attempted to chase the fleeing Fomorians.

Artemis stopped him in mid stride while Laura shook her head, "No. Just let her go. The enemy is beaten today but as long as she's here in our town, we'll deal with her."

The Templar Ranger grimaced and gave a reluctant nod before lowering his weapon, All right then. If that's how it has to be."

As the smoke from the rest of the battle cleared, Noelle smiled while casting a look around, "It hasn't been a total loss. We stopped the attack and kicked a whole lot of Fomorian ass today and we couldn't have done it without you two."

The two Mythos Rangers exchanged a quick look with each other and nodded approvingly before Connor sheathed his sword, "Come on everyone. It's been a long day. I think it's time to go home and get some rest."

* * *

As the chaotic week drew to a close, the five knights and their two Mythos Ranger allies gathered together for one last dinner at the campsite which they still had reserved for another day. After taking some time out to give Aaron and Artemis a tour of their school's campus, the knights decided to spend their remaining time enjoying some peace and quiet over a good meal and a warm campfire. Early evening had set in once again bathing the valley in the gentle tones of yellow, red, and orange.

"Thanks again for the tour and being our guides around here," Aaron sighed as he sat on a bench near the fire, "It was really good to make some new friends around here."

"Likewise," Connor smiled as he tossed the Templar Ranger a water bottle, "It's just a shame we had to waste most of our vacation dealing with the monster attacks."

"Oh... it wasn't all that bad," Artemis mused as she updated some information on her phone, "I admit, your school was nice and I did learn a lot from Kristen too... maybe not so much in the magic department, but she gave me a lot to think about. You guys are lucky to have her around to help."

Noelle exchanged a small smile with Laura, "Yeah... we are, aren't we?"

The Winter Knight cleared her throat next, "You two aren't planning to stay through tomorrow, are you?"

"I don't know. We have a long drive back and there are people who might get worried about us," Aaron began.

"His girlfriend Emlie is a little high strung and she can be a bit of a worrywart too," Artemis added quietly from the side while giving a mischievous smirk, "He's definitely whipped."

"I am not!" Aaron protested while scowling at his sister.

"Great! Then it's settled," Connor laughed while clapping the Templar Ranger on the back, "You'll stick around for another day and join us for some fishing and swimming tomorrow, right?"

Artemis looked pointedly to her brother before he sighed and gave a defeated shrug, "Well... okay. Fishing and swimming does sound like fun."

As Stephen put another log on the fire, Connor stood up, "Awesome! Then if that's settled, let's get some more fun started on the evening's activities."

"Oh? And just what did you have in mind?" Laura asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Well... I figured we could start by telling a few more ghost stories and..."

The Summer Knight was immediately pelted by a hail of marshmallows from all his friends that were present, "What? What did I say?"

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Hope you guys enjoyed the final crossover of this series. Thematically, the Mythos Rangers were the perfect allies to fit in to a story like this and I have to give credit to the creator of Aaron and Artemis for helping coordinate our universes and plots. Thanks again for letting me borrow your Rangers, Storm! As for the ancient witch Morgana, she's going to stick around for a little while longer. She's going to make things a little bit more interesting in the next several chapters. ;)**


	41. Three's a Crowd

**Episode 21: Part 1  
**

Quinton Wallace gave an easy sigh as he rolled slowly down the streets of the town while Noelle walked beside him. It was a beautiful summer day and everyone had dressed down for the warm weather. Both knights wore khaki shorts with Quinton in a green polo shirt and Noelle with an orange tank top. As the two friends rounded the corner to swing by Kristen's shop, they made ready to part ways. Quinton idly spun on his board and continued to roll, "Are you sure you don't want to come and watch Laura's tennis match with me and Kayla today? I'm guessing Laura's going to wipe the floor with people in the local tournament."

The Autumn Knight shook her head gently, "Nah. I'd actually be more concerned with cheering Stephen on. He's going to need it today. Do you have any idea why she even considered letting him play with her in the doubles matches?"

"Who knows? Maybe she's in need of a useful minion?" Quinton shrugged before they reached the antique shop.

"And she didn't choose you? You're not jealous are you Quin?" Noelle teased gently with a laugh.

Quinton sighed and gave her a playful little shove before getting back on his skateboard.

When Noelle opened the door, Quinton gave a cheerful wave goodbye and began coasting down the street back toward the campus. As the Autumn Knight walked inside the familiar shop she took a moment to enjoy the cool refreshing feeling of air conditioning before coming across a little trouble at the front counter.

A portly older lady stood having a civil argument with Connor as she tried to coax a small stone statue from his hands. If Noelle didn't know any better, that statue looked exactly like their pet gargoyle Yum-Yum. Fortuntely, the little creature froze and didn't move. Connor kept his grip firm and tugged back while trying to keep a polite voice, "I'm sorry Ma'am. Like I said before, this statue just isn't for sale. There's no price tag and the store's owner… well, she keeps it around for um… sentimental reasons."

Despite his best efforts, the difficult customer kept insisting, "You must be joking son. I'm willing to pay top dollar for that thing and you want to keep it around here in this dusty old shop?"

"Ma'am please…"

As Connor pulled back again, Yum-Yum quietly moved his head and gave the woman a little bite on her finger making her lose her grip and jump in pain.

"Ouch! What was that?" she cried in surprise at the red nip mark on her hand.

Connor stopped and pointed to the little horns on the gargoyle's head, "See these things? One of the horns must have scratched you. You should probably forget about buying this one since it might hurt you again… or start a liability issue. It's probably best to forget about all this, don't you think?"

The shopper eyed him a moment before giving a shrug and stalking out of the shop. Once the lady customer was gone, Connor picked up the little gargoyle and eyed him, "You're in big trouble mister. I thought we told you and Scratch to stay out of sight during business hours."

The creature gave a contrite look and shrugged causing Connor to sigh patiently. The Summer Knight placed Yum-Yum down and gave him a gentle swat in the rear to get him moving, "All right. Go on now, scoot… and stay out of trouble, okay?"

After the gargoyle ran off, Connor looked up and gave a tired smile, "Hey Noelle! What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you today."

"Well, I was passing through and I figured I'd surprise you. Are you busy?"

The Summer Knight pulled off his green clerk's apron and tossed it on a nearby chair, "Actually my shift is almost over. I came in really early to get a new shipment this morning so Kristen was going to let me go after lunch."

Noelle nodded and poked at an antique, "Great. You wanna grab something to eat at O'Doyle's then?"

"Sure. That sounds good," Connor shrugged, "You think the others might want to come too?"

The Autumn Knight waved it off and gestured for the door, "Nah. They're going to be busy this afternoon. Quinton and his girlfriend were going to go cheer on Laura and Stephen at a tennis tournament on campus today."

"Well, good food and air conditioning does sound preferable," Connor grinned as he gave a passing wave to Kristen and held the door open for his teammate, "Let's go!"

* * *

The waters of the quiet forest spring rippled as Leanansidhe brushed her hand along the surface of it and looked deeply at her reflection. Amid the bright warm light of the June sun above, the Fomorian general frowned as she tried to make sense of the reflection. Here and there, she would catch glimpses of someone who was her, but not exactly her either. It was difficult trying to understand who she was, especially now that her former disembodied mentor inhabited her very being. By now, Morgana's presence had brought back more memories but despite all that, she needed to speak with someone else about all this... she needed a constant factor to link her past and her present and her thoughts began to linger.

"You're troubled child," Morgana said beginning an internal dialogue between the two minds of the women. "I can sense it in your thoughts. You're dwelling on the thought of that Summer Knight... Connor."

"I am... confused," Leanansidhe frowned, "There was a time when we were children and I think we were friends. But whenever I see him now, my will to fight grows weaker. It makes me question who I am and what I'm doing... how it is that we wound up on two different sides of this conflict and if we need to be."

Morgana sighed, "My dear girl... I've told you before that these feelings of affection or friendship are weaknesses. They are distractions to blind and confuse you from getting what you want."

"That's just it! I don't know what I want now!" Leanansidhe replied petulantly as she swiped the water.

"Do you? I would think you desire seeing this Summer Knight again... to speak with him."

"If I'm going to understand what to do from here then I need to try and make him understand," Leanansidhe said firmly.

Morgana began to laugh, "You wish to tell him the truth? About how I found a poor little girl lost in the Faerie Realm... one that in fact turned out to be a Changeling herself?"

Leanansidhe paused as Morgana inwardly smirked, "You were destined to return to your real home in Faerie. To forsake your mortal life here and to choose and become one of the fey. You would be willing to tell him all that now?"

The younger witch exhaled deeply and gave a pained frown, "I... if he was my friend... then yes. He deserves to know."

Morgana sighed, "Very well child... but perhaps we may be able to benefit a little further in our goals."

"You mean your goals," Leanansidhe corrected, "Whatever it is you're planning you must promise me that you will not harm Connor. Leave him out of it."

"My girl, I will make you a solemn fey oath that I will not attack or harm your little knight."

Leanansidhe glanced again at the pond in deep thought before nodding, "All right then. It's time to go. I have a little meeting to prepare for."

* * *

Later that day, Connor and Noelle took a walk and passed by the large fountain in Ivy Lane Plaza. They had decided to get some ice cream cones to stay cool and debated heading toward one of the parks at the other end of the district. As they chatted and strolled, the Summer Knight gave a content sigh, "You know, it's been a great day so far. The weather's been perfect, I've got the afternoon off and lunch was awesome. You really didn't have to buy me a meal today, but thank you."

"Oh don't mention it," Noelle replied with a sheepish smile, "I was glad to do it."

The Summer Knight took a lick of his chocolate chip ice cream, "Still, it's okay. There's no need for any special treatment here."

"Well, you're my friend and your birthday is coming up really soon. I uh… wanted to take an opportunity to just hang out and personally do something nice for you… you know?"

"Well, it was very sweet and thoughtful of you Noelle. Thank you," Connor said gesturing toward a nearby bench to sit.

Noelle took a thoughtful lick of her rocky road ice cream and shook her head, "You know, it's nice out. Why don't we go a little further and take a stroll out to the grotto?"

The two continued on, passing by the large fountain and out toward the wooded parks. They hadn't gone very far when they suddenly saw the air begin to ripple a little bit with magical distortions. To their shock, they noticed that some of the other people in the park had seemingly frozen and become motionless. Had Stephen been around, he would have recognized a similar spell used by the fey lords Gwydion and Sigurd to seemingly slow down time.

"What the hell?" Connor gasped, "What is wrong with everyone here?"

"Something tells me this isn't the mannequin challenge," Noelle quipped, " You think it's one of the fey?"

She was immediately silenced as she was hit by the spell and seemingly frozen in place too. "You would be correct Autumn Knight."

Connor whirled around in surprise to see Leanansidhe approach from the treeline, walking calmly while wearing an amused smile. He swept his ring around and immediately summoned his armor in a flash of red light and a cloud of fire. The witch neared and continued to watch him calmly while he drew his sword and leveled it at the intruder. "What are you doing here? What have you done?"

She strolled idly around the frozen form of Noelle and lightly toyed with the girl's long brown hair, "Don't worry. I didn't hurt anyone and I'm not going to harm you either."

"You've got my attention," Connor replied while keeping his guard up, "What do you want?"

"I want to talk... to you."

The Summer Knight blinked in surprise and lowered his sword slightly, "And who exactly am I talking to right now? Morgana? Or..."

"Leanne MacClure," the fey witch replied while looking him right in the eyes, "I've remembered some things... at least I think I have and I need to make sense of it with you."

"How do you know this isn't one of Morgana's lies?"

"I don't, but she gave her word she would guarantee your safety while I speak to you. I'm asking you to trust me... as your friend."

Connor stood in place for a long moment trying to make sense of everything and weigh his options. He had to make sure Noelle and the other citizens in the park wouldn't get hurt and if Morgana had agreed to behave for now, perhaps it wouldn't hurt to learn more. He lowered his sword tentatively before giving a wary nod, "All right... let's talk."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the dark shadowy corridors of the underground caverns, the redcap Seamus made his way toward Lord Balor's Great Hall and passed the outer detail of armed guards. As they passed and allowed him entry to the cavernous hall, Seamus made his way forward to find the warlord king hunched over several maps planning new battle strategies for use in the Faerie Realm. When he heard his subordinate approach, Balor glanced up slowly and fixed him with the baleful glare of his good eye and the glowing one hidden behind a patch. The flickering lights of the torches lining the hall cast sinister dancing shadows and only did more to enhance Balor's menacing aura.

"You wanted to see me Seamus," the warlord began with a threatening edge in his voice, "I am busy making plans and I don't like to be interrupted."

"Forgive me Lord Balor. I won't take much time," the redcap said with a fearful bow while removing his feathered red hat, "I needed to speak with you about Leanansidhe. I have reason to believe that she may be compromised."

Balor straightened up and grew quiet. A more serious shadow crossed his face as he rumbled, "Go on."

Seamus nervously cleared his throat, "My lord... she's been acting very strange of late and in my presence, she even spoke in a sort of... well... a double voice."

"You waste my time with this? Manipulating sights and sounds is common faerie magic. You know that," Balor growled irritably.

"Yes, but in our last battle against the knights they kept referring to someone by the name of Morgana when confronting her."

Balor froze and slowly clenched his fists, "Did you say Morgana... so she still lives?"

Seamus blinked in confusion, "Lord Balor?"

"Morgana Le Fay is a powerful witch. She is ancient, cunning, and cruel beyond measure. If she is really here in Somerset Valley, there's no doubt she will be causing trouble for all sides in this conflict. I wonder what she's here for?"

"If she's going to get in your way, then what are we supposed to do?" Seamus asked curiously.

Balor idly paced over to a nearby weapon rack on the wall and plucked a spear out before handing it to the redcap, "What you will do is to level the battlefield again. I want you to go and kill Morgana."

"Even at the risk of losing Leanansidhe?" Seamus asked curiously.

Balor nodded, "I'd rather she not be sacrificed too, but if that's what it takes then so be it. Any warrior who serves under me knows that their lives could end at any time and that they give it for the War Host. Best we be pragmatic about all this."

Seamus gripped the spear and nodded, leaving the warlord back to his maps and plans, "As you wish Lord Balor. I will do as you ask."


	42. Blood Oaths

**Episode 21: Part 2  
**

The air remained still as Connor Walsh and Leananside took a short walk up the grassy parkway path to a small out of the way clearing by a gazebo. As they approached, the Summer Knight turned to his adversary, "Is that really you Leanne?"

For a moment, the young fey witch that the knights had done battle with on so many occasions looked like a regular scared and confused girl. She looked startlingly vulnerable, "Yes Connor... I'm in control right now. I brought you here because I wanted to speak to you. I don't know if it was Morgana's return that brought it on, but I've begun to remember things... things about the past... and things about you."

Connor bit his lip before nodding, "What happened?"

He remained quiet while the witch paced thoughtfully around him, "I remember when we were kids. We lived across the street from each other and we'd play all the time. We'd explore the edges of the woods but you were always a little scared."

"For good reason... in retrospect," Connor quipped darkly, "Where did you go Leanne? Everybody was worried about you. Your parents missed you. I missed you."

The witch turned away, "I was poking around the woods again one day and I almost became a victim of that demon tithe that you and the others stopped several months ago. I got caught up and taken to the hinterlands... but I escaped. I came upon a gateway to the Faerie Realm and that's where I met Morgana."

"She's possessing you right now?" Connor asked, "Has she done this before?"

Leanne raised a calming hand, "She is... but she used to be more corporeal when she was stronger. She was in need of an apprentice and I needed her. I was lost in Faerie and had nowhere else to go."

"But your powers? How did you learn how to cast spells and fight?" the Summer Knight asked.

"According to Morgana, she was able to sense something unique about me. She chose me because I was special... because I was a Changeling."

"You have fey heritage too?" Connor gasped in shock, "How? Unless one of your parents unwittingly had some Faerie ancestry too..."

"Whatever the case, I still had it in my blood. I am a Summer fey and I didn't become a fully fledged one until I came of age. Morgana raised me and taught me. I chose the path of Faerie and became Leanansidhe."

Connor took a few steps and shook his head in disbelief, "To think... all this time. You were lost, but not really. You fell in with Balor and the Fomorians?"

Leanne turned away with a hint of shame, "After Morgana left me and was defeated by the Mythos Rangers, I had to find a way though the wilds of the realm. The Fomorians weren't ideal, but they were strong and they offered protection."

"That still doesn't explain why you forgot all this until now," Connor pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

The witch nodded quietly and looked to the sunny skies, "I had been speaking to Morgana and if her words to me were true, then Balor must have placed an enchantment on me when I joined him. It must have been a spell to block my memories and make me more focused on serving him loyally. I can only guess that Morgana's presence has helped to lift that curse."

A silence fell over the meadows as the Summer Knight considered his friend's candid words. He took a deep breath and turned back to her with a steady look.

"You don't have to serve Lord Balor," Connor insisted, "Come on Leanne. Come home. Let us help you. Let me help you."

"I can't. It's not that simple. And what about Morgana? What am I supposed to do about her?" Leanne said sadly.

Connor grimaced but kept his chin up, "I don't know about at right now, but maybe my friends can help think of something. I promise I'm not going to leave you alone. You're my friend and I'm not going to give up on you."

He slowly extended his hand, hopeful that he could sway her to the knights' cause. Leanne stared at the hand and hesitated for a long moment, unsure of what to do at the moment. Little did she know that those next seconds might have costed her everything.

* * *

Meanwhile, back near the plaza Noelle blinked and looked around as she realized she was standing alone on the parkways. Connor had disappeared and the few other people that they had passed continued to make their way unconcerned. There was something very strange going on here and she knew the fey must have been meddling again. She turned on her heel and began hurrying up the path toward the next relatively secluded spot that she knew of by a wooded clearing near a gazebo. While she ran, she grabbed her phone and called her friends. If Connor was in danger, the other knights had to be ready for a fight.

Unbeknownst to the others, the redcap Seamus had also quietly entered the edge of the wooded glade and gripped his spear. Before he had left the underground caverns, Lord Balor had told him about the spear he was given for the task at hand. The Scorpion's Spear was a powerful enchanted weapon with a one time ability. With it was the power to fire a concentrated bolt of lethal magic energy which could penetrate almost any defense and create a terrible wound. In turn, the injury would be infected with a poison that prevented the victim's wound from clotting and hopefully causing the target to bleed to death. With a grim smile, the redcap emerged from the brush near the gazebo and surprised his new victims.

"Morgana! I'm here for you!" Seamus cried as he neared and threateningly lowered the Scorpion Spear, "I'm not going to let you meddle in the business of Lord Balor!"

Leanansidhe convulsed for a moment as the spirit of Morgana took over and forcefully assumed control of the body, "Don't be a fool Seamus! You'd best walk away now because you can't kill me!"

"We'll just see about that," the redcap said with a malicious grin as he took on his troll form and ignited the tip of the weapon. He knew he only had one shot so he was going to make it count. He lowered the spearhead and braced himself as if firing a bazooka from the hip.

Although he didn't understand what danger was happening next, Connor felt spurred to at least try and help protect the body of his friend. He quickly interposed himself between Leanansidhe and the troll trying to shield her from whatever magic effect was going to happen. "Oh no you don't!"

Seamus gasped and tried to ease his grip but it was too late. The lethal blast from the Scorpion Spear fired from the weapon's head in a bolt of bluish purple energy. It was at that moment that Noelle hurried over into the clearing to watch in horror as the bolt of spearhead energy surged forward and struck the Summer Knight in the torso. A cloud of sparks and shards of metal erupted as the bolt tore through the defenses of Connor's Faerie armor and punched a hole in the knight's side just under the ribs.

Everyone froze in surprise as Connor gave a wide eyed gasp and collapsed to the ground while his armor dispelled. Seamus blinked in surprised dismay while Noelle gave a fearful shout and rushed over to her fallen comrade's side. Morgana watched as red blood began to soak the shirt of the mortally wounded Summer Knight and she felt the shock and fury of Leanne inside her, having witnessed such an act. Spurred by her student's rage, Morgana summoned a sword to her hand and surged forward to attack the redcap.

Seamus continued to stare dumbly at the sight until he saw the witch rush toward him with a magically charged blade of her own. Unfortunately, the hulking monster was too slow and barely raised the spear up just in time to block Morgana's onslaught. She split the spear in half with one powerful swing and forced the redcap back with her momentum. As Seamus brought around the remaining shaft of his weapon to try and defend himself, Morgana turned her grip and slashed down again striking a critical blow against the monster.

In a flash of charged energy, Morgana hacked off the entire forearm of the troll with one furious slash. Seamus roared and stumbled back in blind pain while clutching the horrific wound that had been inflicted upon him. While that battle raged, the Autumn Knight paid no attention and focused on her own wounded friend.

Noelle stared in horror as she shifted Connor's weight and saw more red blood pooling on the ground. She didn't know first aid and she didn't have any training in the Druid's healing magic either. All she could do was to press her hands over the wound and desperately try to stop any more profuse bleeding. Without anything to use as a bandage or sponge, the Autumn Knight feared her efforts would be futile and she'd helplessly watch her friend quickly bleed to death in front of her.

Nearby, Seamus screamed in pain again and continued holding the remaining stump of his forearm, "You bitch! My bloody arm! Look what you've done!"

The witch kept a firm grip on her blade while she stared down the redcap, "You're a troll. Your arm will regenerate in time."

Seamus staggered blindly and glanced up with venom in his eyes, "You'll pay for this! I swear it! You will be an outcast from the Fomorian Host! Balor will have you killed!"

"If his best effort to do it was by a worthless redcap like you, then I will take my chances."

Morgana raised her sword again and advanced slowly on the wounded troll causing him to back off and give a snarl while retreating. She lowered her blade as Seamus disappeared into a cloud of red dust and dissipated into the air. No sooner had she put her weapon away, she turned back to see a frantic Noelle kneeling over Connor and clutching his wound, begging him not to die.

The Autumn Knight wiped one hand on the grass and patted his cheek trying to get a response but he remained unconscious. If it was because of shock or the loss of blood she couldn't be sure. By now, he had lost some color in his face had become worryingly pale. "Come on Connor. Just hold on okay? The others will be here soon and we'll get you help."

Morgana continued to watch the younger girl pleading with an almost amused look. Noelle ignored her and continued trying to rouse Connor putting her forehead to his, "Please... don't go. Quinton will be upset you know? Laura won't have anyone to argue with. She'll be furious. Please... you can't die here, especially on me."

"He can't hear you girl," Morgana said with a sigh of boredom as she stood over Noelle, "With a wound like that, he's going to be on death's doorstep very soon."

The Autumn Knight turned and used herself to shield the body of her fallen friend, "Don't touch him you witch! I won't let you near him!"

Morgana's lips curled into a devious grin, "Not even to save his life? I can do that you know."

Within Leanansidhe's mind, the younger girl argued with her mentor who had taken control, "Mistress! What are you doing?"

"I'm keeping my promise not to harm him, child. I'm also capitalizing on the situation," Morgana replied inwardly while reasserting her will.

Noelle gasped and stared incredulously at the witch, "You can? I... why would you?"

"Because you knights are useful to me for now," Morgana said as she knelt down, "But if you wish for me to save his life, you will have to repay me. The fey have laws of fair exchange you know."

Noelle fell silent and cast a venomous look toward the witch. Morgana laughed again, "Time is running out child. How much do you value this boy's life? Do you want my help or not?"

"What's your price?" Noelle finally asked through clenched teeth.

Morgana gave an angelic smile and extended a hand, "I will ask you to do one simple favor for me at the time and place of my choosing. No matter what I ask, you must do it for me. Most importantly, you will not tell any of your friends about this. Until you fulfill your duty, only you and I are to know about this arrangement. Do you understand?"

The Autumn Knight grimaced and stared at the witch's outstretched hand. There was no way around this. She was out of time and she had no choice but to accept the offer if Connor was going to live. She looked once more at the ashen face of Connor before she clasped Morgana's hand and felt a tingling of fey magic binding their words into a faerie contract. "I accept."

Once the deal was sealed, Morgana reached out and placed a hand over the Summer Knight's wounded side. The witch closed her eyes and began to chant a powerful ancient Gaelic spell making her hand glow with a warm gentle light. As Noelle continued to watch in awe, she saw the healing light suffuse the wound and mend it instantly. The blood around them receded and evaporated while the color slowly returned to the Summer Knight's complexion. As Morgana finished her spell, Connor shuddered and took a great breath of air as he was restored to complete health.

Inwardly, Leanansidhe watched the events unfold. She was relieved and grateful that Connor's life had been saved, but it troubled her that she was now a renegade Fomorian and that Noelle had been forced into a binding oath to serve Morgana. Whatever her mentor was planning, Leanansidhe still had trust, but it was beginning to falter.

Noelle gave a deep sigh of relief and turned to look at the fey witch one more time, "Thank you for saving him."

Morgana continued to eye the girl before giving one last haughty smirk and disappearing in a cloud of green smoke. Once she had disappeared, Connor stirred again and cracked his eyes open. He sat up slowly in a daze and shook his head, "Noelle? What... what happened? Where are the Fomorians?"

She sat back and took a breath, "I... they retreated. I um... bluffed and made them think the other knights were coming and they took off."

"Oh... well, I must have blacked out for a moment after that spear blast. I don't remember a thing after that."

The Autumn Knight shook her head tiredly and simply gave his hand a quick squeeze, "Don't worry. The important thing is you're safe and the Fomorians are gone."

He smiled faintly and nodded, "Yeah... I guess I should be thanking you again today, huh? I'm sorry I almost ditched you back there. Leanne wanted to speak to me and she said some interesting things."

Before she could reply, the other three knights rushed on to the scene armed and girded for combat upon their mounts. As they cantered forward, Stephen looked around in confusion, "Connor. Noelle. Is everything okay? Where are the Fomorians?"

Noelle rose to her feet and gestured for everyone to calm down, "It's okay everyone. The bad guys ran away. Let's head back into town and I'll try to explain what happened."

* * *

Later that day, the knights reconvened in the shop and listened as Noelle gave her creatively edited account of what happened. To her relief, no one seemed to doubt her words and they took the story at face value. She hated having to lie, but she had made a desperate deal... more specifically, a magically binding one and if she broke it she risked terrible curses.

"Well, I'm just glad everyone is safe and the town isn't under attack," Kristen sighed as she rose to her feet and dusted off her hands, "If that's all, I guess I'll be closing up shop soon."

The others nodded and watched for a moment as Laura continued to play a little game of fetch with the gargoyle Scratch. She gently tossed a tennis ball across the room and watched in amusement as the little creature scampered off to try and run it down.

"By the way Laura, how was your tennis match going?" Connor asked, "I'm sorry we had to pull you from your tournament."

She shrugged, "It's all right. Based on the brackets, we weren't going to win anyway."

"I think Stephen needs to work on his backhands and returns a little," Quinton supplied earning a mild scowl from the Silver Knight.

"Oh come on, I wasn't that bad... was I?"

Laura sighed as she led the others out the door, "Stephen, if you really want to excel in the next local tourney, you should probably let me coach you some more. Say tomorrow afternoon at two?"

He stopped and thought for a moment about the prospect of a tennis date with Laura before following along, "Sure. That sounds... great."

Quinton and Connor exchanged a smile and chuckle between themselves before they headed out the door too. While the others began to depart, Noelle remained sitting on the couch, lost in thought and worry about what lay in store for the future and what sort of sinister favor Morgana might request. Her dark thoughts were interrupted as she heard the others call, "Hey Noelle, we're headed over to Quinton's house for a bonfire tonight. You coming or what?"

She masked her worry with a pleasant smile and stood up, "Yeah... I wouldn't miss it. Wait up okay?"

She waited until the others stepped outside before she felt her smile falter again. She took a deep breath, cleared her mind, and followed her friends outside hoping it would be enough to keep her new fears and doubts at bay.


	43. A Midsummer's Knightmare

**Episode 22: Part 1**

Several quiet weeks had come and gone since the last Fomorian attack and a lull in the fighting had set in over Somerset Valley. In the midst of the hot sunny weather, the townspeople who lived there couldn't help but wonder if the Fomorian monsters were avoiding the heat, or if they had gone on their own version of summer vacation. For now, the guardians of the valley did not complain and simply enjoyed the relative peace while they went about with their own summer jobs or recreational activities.

At the beginning of July, the five knights joined a large number of the local people to take part in an annual tradition of the town. Every year, volunteers from the college and local businesses would help to celebrate Independence Day by getting together and participating in the town's Heritage Festival which included some activities and reenactments celebrating life in colonial America. Usually there would be some reenactments on the third of July followed by a big parade and another big show on the following day.

On that particularly sunny and warm 3rd of July, the knights gathered together with other townsfolk in one of the large forest preserves that had been reserved for the event. Aside from many of the participants already dressed up in period clothing, there were many local families and children who had come to see some of the activities and demonstrations of colonial life taking place in the newly erected tents and stalls.

"I feel ridiculous wearing this dress and bonnet," Kristen Bloom sighed as she stood chatting with Mr. Sean O'Doyle. The older pub owner and fellow Druid simply smiled while organizing his colonial beer brewing exhibit.

"Nonsense Kristen. You look like a young Betsy Ross wearing that... very fetching. Maybe grab a colonial flag too and you can really turn a few heads."

The younger Druid mumbled grudgingly before they were approached by the other knights who had just finished dressing up too. Connor sported a tricornered hat and the blue coat of the American Continental soldiers. Not surprisingly the facing of his uniform was red. Beside him, Quinton dressed as a colonial militiaman but still wore a green tartan sash slung over his shoulder. They were followed by Noelle and Laura who had donned colonial costumes as well.

The Winter Knight had done up her golden hair and put on an elegant blue summer gown taking on the role of an English aristocrat, or perhaps a girl from a wealthy Loyalist Tory family. Beside her, Noelle had opted for a simpler dress resembling a nurse's outfit but with some French Fleur de Lis symbols on her apron and a light orange headband to tie her hair back. Finally bringing up the rear came a polished looking Stephen dressed in the red coat and accouterments of a British regular soldier.

"Well now... my own problems aside, you guys all look great," Kristen smiled as she greeted her younger friends, "I'm assuming you're all headed off to the battlefield soon for a reenactment?"

"I'm actually going to stay in the shade of the tents and model the fashion of the upper class society women," Laura said as she turned to Stephen and fussed over his collar and the buttons of his uniform, "As for you, I'm going to expect you to go out there and teach that traitorous American rabble a lesson."

"Well, I suppose I can't refuse the request of a fair lady so... okay!" Stephen shrugged with a laugh as he adjusted his hat and stepped back while looking very dashing.

Connor and Quentin exchanged a mild eye roll between themselves while Mr. O'Doyle turned to Noelle, "And what are you going to be doing Miss Moreau? Demonstrating some domestic chores? Baking? Churning butter?"

She grinned and hooked her arms around Connor and Quinton's while speaking with an exaggerated French accent, "Au contraire Monsieur. I will be on ze battlefield taking care of my boys. Lafayette and ze French came to help ze Americans so zees men will need some nurses, no?"

"So... if Connor is an American, Noelle is French, Laura and Stephen are British... what does that make you?" Kristen asked turning to Quinton.

"I'm Scottish...American!" Quinton said proudly while fluffing his sash. "The Crown can't force all if us to fight for them, right? Long live Bonnie Prince Charlie!"

"That's the spirit my man," Connor laughed as he clapped his roommate on the shoulder and slung his musket on his shoulder, "Now what do you say we go beat the pudding out of those uppity redcoats."

Laura simply sighed in exasperation and shook her head as the two walked off and began singing a few verses of Yankee Doodle Dandy.

* * *

Meanwhile, the exiled Fomorian general Leanansidhe wandered about the local Heritage Festival in the guise of Leanne MacClure. She had set aside her green Celtic dress and now donned the same disguise as some of the event reenactors. To the unsuspecting townsfolk who were milling about, the young red headed woman looked just like a regular female college student who was volunteering for the festival. After wandering by some of the food stands and the tents which featured some arts and crafts, she headed over toward a large grassy lawn where many of the local men had formed up to reenact a battle from the Revolutionary War.

The witch watched the fake battle with amused indifference as a line of British soldiers continued marching on in ordered ranks while a small mixed formation of American regulars and militia stood their ground and fired a few volleys with their muskets. Within Leanne's mind, Morgana gave a derisive sniff, "What an odd form of warfare these humans practiced. They fey have warred for centuries and would never use these cowardly firearm weapons… much less walk straight into the projectiles."

"Say what you will, but it did take a lot of courage and discipline to fight like that," Leanne replied inwardly as she scanned the battlefield. It was then that she stopped and found what she was looking for. There in the rear of the American lines, she spotted Noelle rolling out several red dyed bandages with a few of the others girls as the battle continued to be fought.

As the event announcer continued to narrate the battle for the crowd of spectators, the British let loose a volley of musket fire causing several Americans to fall. As per his scripted role, Connor reeled sideways and fell over. As he lay on the ground pretending to be wounded, he gave a laugh to Quinton who helped to drag him and a few others off the battle line, "This is it for me Quin. I'm a goner. Tell my family I love them…"

Quinton smiled and rolled his eyes before several of the female students came over and took on the roles of the battlefield nurses, wrapping up arms and legs with bandages and carrying water.

"So much for beating the pants off the redcoats," Noelle sighed with a small laugh as she took a bandage and tied it to the Summer Knight's leg, "What would you do without me?"

"I must be bleeding out," Connor joked toward her, "For a minute I thought you were an angel come to save me on the battlefield."

Noelle stopped for a moment and looked to him with sudden seriousness, "Please don't joke about being hurt like that."

Connor blinked in mild confusion, unaware of the startling parallel she had been alluding to when she had secretly saved his life in battle several weeks ago, "Oh… ok? I'm sorry."

The Autumn Knight shook her head to herself and glanced up just in time to meet Leanansidhe's gaze from across the way in the crowds. The fey witch tiled her head and subtly gestured for Noelle to meet her in a more secluded spot before disappearing back into the mass of spectators.

"Noelle? Hey… are you okay?" Connor asked in concern as she quickly glanced back to him.

"Ah… sorry. I just spaced out for a moment there," she said with a nervous laugh, "It must be the heat, huh?"

He kept shaking his head as she pulled him to his feet, straightened his coat and gave a quick but gentle push back toward the battle, "There. You're all good now. Go get em killer."

"Uh… thanks. I'll see ya later," Connor replied hesitantly at Noelle's suddenly unusual behavior. She watched him as he headed back to the battle before she turned and hurried away toward the direction Leanansidhe had been pointing.

* * *

Once she got clear of the battlefield, Noelle headed to a quieter wooded corner of the festival grounds and stopped when she spotted the fey witch leaning on a nearby oak tree disguised as a fellow volunteer. She tensed up and approached slowly while Leanansidhe turned her head and smiled back with a predatory grin.

"Ahh… there you are Autumn Knight. I appreciate your coming so quickly."

Noelle scowled and spoke with a level voice that betrayed a hint of hostility, "What are you doing here Morgana? What do you want?"

It was then that Morgana took control of Leanansidhe's body, "You already assume I am the mastermind behind all this? Child, I'm flattered and impressed by your perceptiveness."

"Cut the pleasantries Morgana. You didn't come to flatter me and we both know it."

The witch laughed in amusement, "You're absolutely right. I came to collect on my little… how shall we call it… debt?"

Noelle felt her stomach drop as she clenched her fists grudgingly, "I did make a promise. What do you want from me?"

The fey witch got off the tree and began walking over slowly. She reached in her skirt pocket and pulled out a handful of small iridescent stones which sparkled with a dark blue and purple color. She handed them to Noelle and the knight studied them curiously, "What is this?"

Morgana ignored her and led the knight over toward a pond just past the meadow. She snapped off a large branch of a tree and handed it to Noelle before glancing up to the sunny skies, "All I ask for you to do is to drop these stones in the pond and stir the water. Do it slowly and stir counter clockwise. After that... well, as long as you do not call your armor or raise your weapons, no harm will come to you or your fellow knights today."

Noelle stared incredulously at her foe before taking the large branch. The Autumn Knight hesitantly dropped the stones into the water and began to slowly stir the water in a methodical counter clockwise motion. She watched as the magical stones began to dissolve and dissipate before changing into a vapor that rose up from the waters in a thick foggy cloud.

"Keep stirring," Morgana said firmly as she watched the fog begin to spread out over the meadows and the surrounding forest preserves. Noelle continued to watch in dread as the magical fog continued to roll through and spread toward the fields where the town's Heritage Festival was going on. As the sinister mists swept through the region, the moral townspeople stopped what they were doing and began to gently lay down one by one as they were overcome by a powerful sleeping enchantment. Adults and children alike quickly succumbed to the spell as they collapsed in an eerie slumber.

* * *

From the tents and the field of the battle reenactment, the other Hibernian Knights stopped and stared in wide eyed shock as a thick fog swept through and caused all their fellow students and neighbors to fall into a deep sleep.

"What is going on here?" Laura gasped in alarm as the audience in her tent all nodded off to sleep. She tried in vain to wake a few people before running out and finding Kristen and Mr. O'Doyle walking blindly through the fog.

"Kristen? What's going on here?" the Winter Knight asked the two older Druids.

"I don't know," Kristen frowned, "But whatever this fog is, it looks like it's probably very potent faerie magic."

Laura chewed her lip and looked around again, "I don't understand... why did everyone else fall asleep when we didn't?"

Mr. O'Doyle scratched his chin, "If I had to guess... we probably have a level of resistance to this spell by virtue of being Druids or because of the magic of your rings."

His theory was proven correctly as the three male knights stumbled their way through the mists and joined them on the fair grounds. Stephen swept away some of the fog with his hat and gave a relieved nod toward the others present, "Do any of you have any idea what's going on? The three of us were out on the battlefield and suddenly everyone around us just dropped."

"We thought this mist was just the gunpowder smoke but when everyone collapsed and didn't move, we figured something bad was up," Connor added.

After being filled in by Laura of their working theory, Stephen crossed his arms, "You guys don't think the Fomorians are up to this, do you? Or could it be one of the Twilight fey again?"

Kristen shook her head and shivered at the static gloom around them which began to spread even more and dim the sunlight above. "Maybe, but this is high powered magic and it's got a very sinister feel to it."

It was at that moment, Quinton straightened up and looked around, "Hey guys... we've got a little problem. Where is Noelle?"

His question was answered as the knights and their allies spotted the forms of several spriggan warriors in the fog. The Fomorian foot soldiers seemed to be examining the area and looking over the forms of the sleeping townspeople. While it was strange that they weren't trying to hurt any civilians or cause destruction, their presence definitely signaled trouble.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing there?" Laura shouted in an attempt to get the enemy's attention or possibly intimidate them.

To the Knights' continued surprise, the spriggans stopped and turned tail when they saw the knights. Instead of charging forward and attacking, the evil fey soldiers fell back and began to flee the scene. Stephen slipped on his magic archer's bracer, "Come on! Let's follow them!"

"Hold it," Kristen cautioned them, "They could be drawing you into a trap."

Connor frowned and shook his head, "We have to take that chance. We still have to find Noelle and she might be in trouble. Come on everyone!"

The two Druids watched in dismay as the four young knights sprinted off into the mists and pursued the fleeing spriggans to wherever they were going.

* * *

At the other side of the forest preserve, Morgana smiled as she snapped her fingers and summoned one more group of spriggan warriors to do her bidding. By now, Noelle had stopped stirring the enchanted pond and stood in horror at what she had done. Whatever she had helped do, she had spread a curse over Somerset Valley and even as she helplessly stood there, the spriggan warriors nearby paid her little mind.

"What have you done? What is all this about?" the Autumn Knight demanded.

The witch glanced to her laconically, "What you have done my dear Autumn Knight is help to play into my larger plan. Once these spriggans lure your little friends here, all the pieces will be in place."

"They won't help you," Noelle challenged her, "And neither will I. I've fulfilled my part of the bargain. Now I'm free."

"That's very true," Morgana smiled, "But you'll find that I can still be very persuasive when I want to be."

Soon enough, the other knights emerged from the thick fog chasing the spriggan scouts back to their gathering point. Upon reaching the misty meadow, they halted in surprise at the sight of Noelle, Leanansidhe, and a pack of spriggan troops gathering around waiting for them.

"Noelle! What's going on here? Are you okay?" Connor shouted in alarm as he took a fighting stance against the other spriggans.

"I'm okay, but something strange is going on here and Morgana is responsible," Noelle called back, "Until we figure it out, I can't fight... not unless I want to risk you guys getting harmed!"

Morgana smirked, "My promise applied only to you my dear. I never made any provision for the others taking up arms."

"Holy crap! Did Noelle make some kind of deal with that witch?" Stephen gasped as he worked to put the pieces together.

"We'll worry about that later," Laura called as she raised her own ring, "If Morgana and her flunkies want a fight with us, then that's good enough for me!"

" _Athru_!" the four called as they instantly summoned their faerie armor and weapons to do battle.

The spriggan guards charged forward and locked in battle with the knights to slow them down while Morgana turned to Noelle and raised a glowing hand. The Autumn Knight turned in shock at the sudden move by the witch before she was completely blindsided by a spell burst of blue and purple energy. As the knights tangled with the spriggans, they watched in horror as Noelle limply collapsed to the ground and rematerialized into a ball of light which was absorbed in a little glass bauble.

Noelle's comrades all gave a furious shout as Stephen shot down several foes with his Silver bow while Connor and Quinton battered a few other spriggans out of the way with fierce slashes. As she agilely slipped around her own spriggan enemy and slashed him down, Laura turned and began to lead a charge toward Morgana but the fey witch waved her hand.

Before the knights could even react, the witch called down a powerful volley of fey lightning from above and blasted all the knights backward. Having absorbed the full shock of running into a wall of volatile energy, the four knights dropped to the grass while their protective armor dispelled. Morgana smiled in delight as she gingerly stepped forward across the smoking battlefield to loom over the stunned heroes.

From where he lay in the dirt, Connor groaned and rolled over struggling to regain his senses. His vision was temporarily blurred from the bright lightning and his limbs felt numb all over from the thunder's shocking power. In spite of his pain, the Summer Knight was able to crawl to his knees as Morgana stood over him triumphantly. He struggled again and sensed the witch bending down to his level. To his surprise and disgust, she reached out and touched his cheek before drawing back in amusement. "You're still trying to struggle... very impressive for a mere mortal."

"Ah gee, you're really hurting my feelings here," Connor groaned sarcastically.

Leanansidhe, or rather the entity inhabiting his friend's body fixed him with a wicked smile, "Come now Summer Knight... or should I call you Connor? There's no need for such hostility. I'm waiting here to speak to you."

"To me? Why do you want to talk to me?" he sputtered.

Morgana rose to her feet and paced idly, "Perhaps because you have a stronger connection to my student Leanansidhe... the girl you once called Leanne MacClure. And because I need you to do something for me."

"Forget it. How about I torch you with some Summer Fire instead."

A flash of anger crossed the witch's features and she immediately clamped down on Connor's throat with an iron grip before tossing him to the ground again. Speaking in Morgana's voice she said "That would not be wise my dear knight... not unless you want to harm your friend Leanne... or save your friend Noelle."

"What are you getting at Morgana?"

The witch idly paced around Connor again, "If you must know... I've lost something very important... and without it, I am weak. I believe you and your companions are strong enough and capable enough of retrieving it for me."

"You think we're going to help you get something to make you more powerful? Are you out of your freaking mind?" Connor retorted.

Morgana sneered, "Remember knight, I can be a dangerous enemy, but also a very powerful friend. All I'm asking is for us to make a fair exchange. You can get me something I want, and I can give you something you want."

She gestured to the small glass bauble containing Noelle's trapped essence. "After all... the Autumn Knight put herself at my mercy and made a bargain to save your life from that Redcap's spear blast. The least you could do is to return the favor to her."

Connor gasped in shock at the revelation and the truth of what really happened several weeks ago. "No... you're lying to me."

"The girl was so distraught when she thought you were going to die," Morgana cackled, "You would think she was ready to sign her very soul away to prevent that from happening. She played her part perfectly."

"So this was all an elaborate setup then..." came the voice of Laura nearby as she groaned and struggled to rise up from her own pain. Despite having been stunned, the Winter Knight forced herself to focus and assess the new situation that she had overheard, "You lured us here to force us into another bargain using Noelle and the sleeping people of town as your insurance?"

"Very perceptive my girl," Morgana smiled as she spared a moment to regard the downed Winter Knight. "Again... a pity that you're only human."

The witch turned back to Connor, "Now then... shall we come to an agreement?"

"You're going to have to humor us a little here," Connor answered with a hint of defiance, "You know... twirl your mustache a little and tell us what your nefarious plan is first?"

Morgana sneered at him and gave a sigh, "I was once in possession of a powerful staff... the staff of Morrigan. On that staff was a magic orb which shattered into many pieces and was cast to the winds. I need you knights to recover one of the shards for me."

"And where would that be?" Laura asked.

"I have learned that one of the pieces was recently discovered in the Faerie Realm... in a region of Spring, a sacred place known as the Mistmeadows."

"I assume there's a catch here?" Connor prompted with a skeptical look.

Morgana nodded, "I understand the ones who found the shard are a group of mortal zealots who worship nature. They are known as the Order of the Briar Circle and I suppose you can consider them extremist Druids. They guard a sacred meadow which has grown around some old ruins and I believe they have likely hidden the shard somewhere there."

"Why do you need us to get it?" Laura asked, "Can't you do it yourself?"

Morgana shook her head, "No. They have placed powerful wards and protections to prevent us fey from coming near the area. You four however, are humans and should not be affected by the zealots' defenses."

Connor wrinkled his nose, "So you're asking us to trespass, break into some ruins, and steal something from a bunch of wacko eco-terrorists?"

"Do we have a deal?" Morgana asked with a smile as she extended her hand, "I will guarantee the safety of your Autumn Knight and the townspeople until you return and we make the exchange."

Laura grimaced as she turned to her comrade, "I don't like this Connor. I know we have to help Noelle... but I have a bad feeling about this."

The Summer Knight thought it over for a long minute before nodding, "I agree to your terms Morgana. I will return the shard of that orb to this very meadow when it is time to make an exchange... and we'll do it peacefully."

"Agreed!" Morgana smiled as she clasped Connor's hand and sealed the deal.

She gave another laugh and walked off into the enchanted fog to keep watch over the people as Quinton and Stephen began to wake up and come to. As they helped their friends up, Laura cast a concerned glance over to Connor, "You made a deal with Morgana... I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

The Summer Knight nodded grimly, "Trust me... I know what I'm doing. Besides, I owe it to Noelle. Right now, we have to focus on helping her and getting that shard back. If we're going to do that, we're going to need some help from Kristen... and there's no time to waste."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Sorry for the little delay on this story everyone. I had been on kind of a roll with my other current series but now it's time to strap in and make a strong effort to catch up with this again. Thanks for the patience, oh and bonus points to whoever caught the PR:RPM joke. I've been waiting forever to use it. ;)**


	44. Woodland Snare

**Episode 22: Part 2  
**

The thick enchanted fog continued to hang over the entirety of Somerset Valley as the four remaining knights made their way back into town to regroup with their two Druid allies. After having changed back into some regular summer clothes, the four young people pushed though the fog as they approached Mr. O'Doyle's pub at the edge of the college campus. While they walked, they couldn't help but be a little unnerved at the eerie quiet and stillness that had blanketed the normally busy town. Here and there they came upon some townspeople laying on the sidewalk or lawns trapped in their enchanted slumber while the light of the summer sun above was largely obscured by the mists.

As they made their way inside, they found Kristen and Mr. O'Doyle at the empty pub counter sharing in a drink to calm their nerves. Quinton shook his head and took one more foreboding look outside, "I don't know you guys... this is really creepy. The sooner we come up with a plan, the better."

The six sat down at the bar counter and began to share their accounts of what happened until Laura and Connor revealed the truth about Noelle's actions and the resulting bargain with Morgana. Kristen nearly choked on the beer she was drinking and slapped the glass down on the table, "You what? Did you really just make a bargain with Morgana? Are you insane?"

"There was no other choice," Connor answered firmly, Noelle needs our help and if this is what it's going to take, then so be it. Just trust me though... I think I was still able to leave myself a little out in the contract if need be."

Mr. O'Doyle grimaced and looked visibly perturbed as well, "I hope you're right kiddo. Making deals with evil fey often gets you into deeper debt with them instead."

Laura frowned in thought before glancing up at the knights' mentor, "Kristen, we're going to need your help. Morgana told us about that place called the Mistmeadows in Spring. She said we had to seek out some temple ground and that we might encounter some group of people called the Order of the Briar Circle."

The two Druids looked to each other before Kristen frowned, "I don't like this one bit. The Briar Circle are a group of loose cannons, a bit dangerous and extremist in their views compared to the rest of our Druid orders. To them, civilization and technology should be subsumed by nature. They don't believe in balance so much as to let things grow wild and unchecked."

Mr. O'Doyle drummed his fingers on the bar counter for a minute before turning his head thoughtfully, "Now hold on a moment Kristen. It is possible the knights may use this to their advantage. Because of the Briar Circle's beliefs, I know they aren't all that well liked by the Spring Court. Perhaps if the knights posed as free agents who were sympathetic to their cause, they might be willing to let the knights in or give them a degree of trust."

"Even so... I don't like the thought of possibly lying to them either," Stephen interjected with an uncomfortable grimace.

"It won't be a complete lie... more like a half truth," Quinton chimed in, "We're mortals who are not exactly bound or allied to the Faerie Courts."

"A small price to pay," Laura added with a quiet nod, "Kristen? Can you show us the way to the Mistmeadows?"

The younger Druid gave another unhappy look into her beer glass before glancing up and nodding, "I can take you there and open the way, but I won't be able to help you in the Faerie Realm this time. If those Briar Circle people find out I'm a Druid... who knows what they may do? My presence would likely jeopardize your mission."

"We'll take whatever help you can give us," Connor said as he took another glance out toward the dreary streets, "As for this sleeping fog, is there anything you guys can do about it on your end? Would that mushroom concoction Kristen made before work to help the people?"

O'Doyle shook his head, "I'm afraid not. This is a different kind of spell altogether and even if we could brew a potion, there are too many victims and not enough ingredients."

Kristen rose from the table, "Right now, I think you four should prepare some emergency supplies for your trip. We'll regroup at my shop and I'll fill you in on what to expect on the other side."

* * *

Some time later that day, the four knights took a short drive with Kristen to the southern edge of the valley. After parking in a local forest preserve, the knights followed their mentor down a hiking trail until they reached a large stream of water coursing by. They followed the water a short distance until they came to a ring of large rocks. The stones were weathered and had an odd quality about them. From a distance, they might have appeared as very natural looking in their arrangement, but upon closer inspection, there seemed to be odd hints that the large stones might have been purposefully moved there.

"Here we are, the gateway to the Mistmeadows," Kristen said while surveying the quiet grove, "You have the temple rocks, the misty waters, and green grass around you."

Stephen hefted his backpack and gave an expectant look to the others. With the Druids' help, they had prepared some backpacks with emergency camping gear, food, water, and a first aid kit. "You said those temple ruins shouldn't be far from where we portal over, right?"

Kristen nodded, "The temple was once part of an Elven outpost during the wars with the Fomorians. As long as you stick to the main path, you should find it easily, but those nature zealots will probably be lurking among the rest of the outpost's remains."

"We'll be careful," Laura assured her as she touched her silver ring for reassurance, "And we'll be ready when you open the portal home again."

They set their watches together and Stephen gave a thumbs up, "Right. We'll be back before you know it."

Kristen gave a nod and paced around the stones tapping each one in a specific order with her staff while speaking a few words of ancient Gaelic. She finally came to the center of the standing stones and spoke the last word which opened a glowing pathway into the Faerie Realm. The Druid stepped back and gestured to the open portal, "I'll be waiting here everyone… good luck."

Connor touched her arm gratefully and tried to give a brave face as he stepped through first followed by the others. Once the knights had crossed over, the portal closed behind them dropping the four friends in the land of Faerie. Laura quickly planted a painted wooden stake into the ground to mark their location before the others turned and made their way down a wooded pathway stretching out before them. Like Kristen had told them before, the knights reminded themselves that in many ways the Faerie Realm mirrored the real world. Unlike the real world inhabited by mortal humans, the Faerie Realm was a much more primal and fantastical place, where the natural laws and perceptions of reality weren't always what they seemed.

"It's kinda strange, huh?" Quinton mused quietly while they walked, "I think this is the first time we've been in the Faerie Realm without being guided by Kristen. It's a little frightening, but also sorta exciting too."

Stephen marched at the lead of the formation using his keen archer's eyes to scan for danger up ahead. As the Silver Knight scouted ahead, he idly replied, "Well, we are in the land of Spring. It can't be all that bad, can it?"

"Lucky for us we've got a Knight of Spring with us just in case," Connor muttered in agreement while covering one of the party's flanks.

Aside from being wild and overgrown, the green verdant woodlands around them were wide and sprawling. Tall trees blanketed the terrain and a small river ran along that section of the woods mirroring the one in the real world. As they followed the path, the knights noticed the woods becoming more misty and mysterious. While sunlight continued to stream through the trees above, the light was dimmer and the magical mists obscured their vision a little more. Laura cast a wary look around and reached for a small pocket flashlight just in case. "Well… so far so good. If this doesn't look like a place called the Mistmeadows, I'm not sure what does."

Eventually, the path before them became much more wild and natural as it wove through some more trees and led the knights deeper into the beautifully haunting woods. Eventually, Stephen stopped as he caught sight of stone earthworks up ahead, looking like the ruins of old walls and buildings. He signaled a stop and summoned his bow before slowly advancing with a silver arrow nocked at the ready. "This must be it. Let's tread carefully. Kristen said those crazies could be lurking around here."

The four pressed on and looked about in wonder at the melancholy ruins of the fey outpost. Laura took a moment to study some of the ornate stonework and bits of faded Elven script that had been carved in some spots.

"Did you find anything interesting?" Connor asked as he stopped and approached her.

She shook her head and gave a sigh, "No… it's just the History student in me coming out. I just wish I could read Elven or understand more about this land. I can't help but wonder what happened here long ago, or what this outpost might have looked like. Did it see many battles with the Fomorians? Why did the Elves abandon it?"

The Summer Knight gave his friend a sympathetic nod and gently patted her shoulder, "I'm sorry we have to kinda pass this up, but our duty to our town comes first."

Laura nodded reluctantly and the two continued on, taking up the rear while Stephen and Quinton led the way. As they made their way through some more scattered ruins and navigated some treacherous undergrowth, Laura quietly asked her comrade, "Are you okay?"

Connor glanced over and raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"You've been acting a little different since you made that deal with Morgana."

The Summer Knight frowned, "Different how?"

"Well… like less of an idiot than usual," Laura retorted with a half smirk, "I mean… you seem to be taking this whole thing rather seriously."

"Why wouldn't I?" Connor replied, "Noelle is in danger and I'm risking my freedom to Morgana. That sounds pretty damn serious to me."

Laura remained silent fixing him with an expectant look, "You know what I mean Connor."

He gave a long sigh before wrinkling his features, "If Morgana's words were true… that Noelle had risked herself to save my own life when I didn't even know it, then I can't let her down. Morgana has already taken one of my friends from me. I'm not going to let her take another one."

In an unusual display, Laura put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "She won't. I promise the rest of us will make sure that doesn't happen either."

Connor smiled faintly and put his hand over hers before giving a quick squeeze, "Thanks Laura."

The knights stopped abruptly as Stephen halted and raised his bow. The four instantly summoned their weapons and stood frozen in the misty gloom of the foreboding woods, eying the ruins around them before a swarm of shadowy creatures dropped from the treetops using vine ropes and encircled the heroes. In the dim light, the four friends could discern the creatures were humanoids that seemed to be made of old wood. They had long spindly limbs which were fastened to their bodies with vines and roots which appeared to act like muscles and tendons for the monsters. The ghastly warriors moved about in unsettling awkward motions and fixed the knights with horrible grinning faces that had been painted onto the wooden heads.

The freakish automatons clattered forward and the knights immediately closed ranks and engaged them in hand to hand combat. Stephen kicked one aside and fired two arrows into another before batting aside the third attacker with his own weapon. The wooden marionette creature staggered sideways right into Quinton's sword before the Spring Knight pulled his weapon free and deflected a blow from another marionette. As he did, Quinton pulled his second sickle weapon and sliced at the vine tendons of the creature to hamstring it before punching it aside.

Nearby, Laura slashed a marionette aside and gracefully dodged a passing blow from another before turning her weapon and skewering it with her blade. She pushed forward with her momentum and impaled a second creature as well before letting loose a burst of icy energy from her blade which shattered the creatures' bodies. At the other corner of the knights' defense line, Connor punched away a marionette before hacking off the arm of another attacker. Not to be deterred, the marionette and two others regrouped and rushed forward but were met by a powerful slash empowered with a cloud of Summer Fire that completely incinerated their wooden bodies.

As the charred corpses fell to the ground, the knights regrouped and looked around only to find that while they had been momentarily distracted, they were outflanked by the real danger. Encircling the four were a pack of barbaric looking druids in brown robes that sprung from the ruins pointing spears and crossbows at the knights. To the knights' horror, they saw that the savage Druids had adorned themselves in animal pelt helmets, along with jewelry made of feathers, bones, teeth, and rock. They gave feral cries before a Druid in a bearskin pelt stepped forward and spoke out loudly, speaking several words in Elven.

The knights remained where they were and cast glances to one another before the leader of the Druids spoke again, this time using English. "Tuathans! Humans! Stand down! Lay down your arms!"

"Guys… that might be a good idea," Stephen admitted as he eyed all the crossbowmen around them, "We're a little outgunned at the moment."

Quinton looked to his own friends before slowly setting down his weapons on the ground, "Okay… hold on now. There's no need for anyone to get hurt. We didn't come as your enemies."

The other knights looked to each other before slowly setting their weapons down too. Connor whispered to Laura, "What is Quinton doing?"

"I don't know yet… but maybe we should just follow his lead for now. He's a knight of Spring and they just may listen to him."

The other barbarians lowered their weapons slightly as the leader of the savage Druids drew back his spear and approached. Upon nearing, he pulled back his bear mantle revealing the face of a scruffy looking middle aged human man with shaggy dark hair. Despite his fierce looking beard, the man had a strong build and sharp eyes, giving a feral predatory air about him. He eyed the newcomers suspiciously and gave a grunt, "The four of you are not from this realm. Lost travelers from the other side?"

"We are," Quinton replied, "Is it safe to guess you belong to the Order of the Briar Circle?"

The other savage druids tensed as their leader continued to eye the newcomers with cool amusement before smiling, "For a bunch of lost travelers, you four seem to know an awful lot. Who are you and what do you want here?"

Quinton stepped forward and showed his magic ring, "We are a group of human knights with the power of the Faerie Courts in our rings. We've fought and defeated the Fomorians of Lord Balor several times and we know about the war that the Four Courts are waging against him."

"What does that have to do with us then?" the man asked while crossing his arms, "Do you serve the will of the Fey Courts?"

Quinton shook his head, "No. We aren't aligned with the Courts… but we came here to make an alliance with you."

The Druids stopped and exchanged hesitant looks before Laura caught on to Quinton's line of thinking and interjected, "If I may…"

She stepped forward carefully, "We've heard that you don't care much for the Courts or the destruction that their war with Balor causes. We feel the same way because we've been caught in between the two powers. We decided why not travel here and join forces with a like-minded group of Druids who would help us do away with the whole corrupt order?"

The leader of the savages regarded her carefully, "And tell me this young lady, how did you know about us? About your organization and where we are?"

Laura remained calm and kept up her bluff, "In our own home town, there are a few Druids who watch over the area... Druids of the Juniper Order. They told us about you."

The Briar Circle followers began to scoff and give derisive snorts, "The Juniper Order? They may have a large following, but they're a bunch of frail scholars and sages. They've grown too soft and comfortable with their attempts to find a balance with the civilized world."

"We agree," Quinton bluffed, "The Juniper Order is doing nothing to help curb the violence in our home so we want to find stronger allies who are more willing to take action. We've been told that your order guards these woods and if others stay away, that must mean you're doing something right.

The leader of the Briar Circle kept gauging the knights before one of his followers chimed in, "If these Tuathan knights are telling the truth, then they would make powerful allies. Did you see how they handled our puppets in battle? With them on our side, we might even be able to start making the Spring Court take us seriously."

The lead Druid finally nodded and stepped forward while extending a hand, "I am Cnute, leader of the Briar Circle and protector of these ruins. We'll talk more about this alliance. Until then, I will show you to our campsite. Come."

The other Druids stood down and put away their weapons causing the four knights to give a sigh of relief. As they followed the savage men and women in brown robes, they kept their mouths shut and their senses open. They still had a ways to go to in order to discover the location of Morgana's hidden treasure. They were also wandering in a strange unfamiliar land and sharing the company of unpredictable people. Despite that, the four friends had still come another step closer to their goal and had bought themselves a little more time as well. Unfortunately, however much time they had left to bargain with now was going to be anyone's guess.


	45. The Great Escape

**Episode 23: Part 1  
**

After a short walk through the misty grounds, the knights were brought to a campsite within the ruins of a large stone temple. In some ways the remains of the building resembled the skeleton of a church or cathedral with missing windows and gaps in the moss covered walls. Scattered about the camp were other Druids working on crafts or cooking food while more of the ghastly wooden marionette puppets milled about performing manual labor tasks. Connor looked around and gave a hesitant smile trying to be polite, "Uh... nice place you've got here."

Cnute gave a rueful grin and continued to lead them on, "You'll have to forgive the accommodations. We don't often get visitors... not ones that stay alive for very long anyway."

The four knights exchanged a concerned look before Stephen cleared his throat, "This place must be well defended and I can see why. The trees and mists offer good protection but you had also mentioned wanting to have the Spring Court take your order seriously."

"Is there a question somewhere knight?" Cnute asked while sizing up the Silver Knight.

Stephen met his glare, "How do you intend for all of us to assert our will and push back against the Fey Courts if the best we can do is to stay barricaded in this little region?"

Cnute looked to a few of his savage Druid companions before turning back with a smirk, "That is actually a very fair and intelligent question. I believe my order has recently found a means to do so. Follow me."

The four followed Cnute a short distance from the main campsite until they came upon a low stone wall and a gate leading into what looked like a large walled garden.

"This is where we keep our little surprise," Cnute said, "It's been heavily warded against faeries and other fey creatures so they would be hard pressed to trespass here."

After crossing the threshold, the knights glanced to Stephen to check on his condition. They feared that with his half-fey heritage, he might be in pain or hurting from some ailment. The Silver Knight simply grimaced and gave a small wave of the hand, prefering to soldier through the effects of the wards. The group continued on and walked across the wide walled off lawn until they came upon a small stone pedestal sticking up out of the ground. It resembled a sort of birdbath or sundial, but it was neither of those things and had a more decorative appearance. The leader of the Briar Circle gestured to the object and smiled, "Behold... our secret weapon."

The knights stood looking in silence for a long moment before Connor glanced up to the barbarous Druid, "Sorry... I don't quite understand what we're looking at here."

Cnute began to slowly pace around the pedestal, "Buried underneath this stone anchor is an artifact of great power... one that we intend to use against the Faerie Courts when the time is right."

"You're planning to wage war on the civilized lands of Faerie?" Quinton goaded him while feigning shock, "What is a little lawn ornament going to do against the might of the royal Faerie armies?"

Emboldened by the question and letting his ego get the better of him, Cnute continued to explain, "The answer is simple knight. We harness the buried power of this object and use it to crush all that stand in our way. Some time ago, our order had discovered a crystal shard which contained a great deal of magical energy. We decided to bury it in this sacred grove and let it continue to magnify the power of the earth here."

"So that you can create some kind of powerful garden?" Laura asked in confusion.

Cnute shook his head and reached down to place his hand on the stone pedestal, "No, a weapon... a purely natural one."

He concentrated for a moment and the knights froze when they felt the ground tremble and swell slightly underneath their feet. As they fearfully looked around the walled glade, they saw mounds of earth in the corners rise up and fall back to the ground as if some kind of massive earth creature underneath them was flexing its muscles and stretching from some long slumber.

"What the hell is that? What are you doing?' Connor asked in both fear and wonder.

The ground stabilized and became calm as Cnute stepped back and let go of the pedestal. "That my dear knight is the makings of a giant earth titan underneath us. The more that crystal shard continues to seep into the ground, the more power we're going to have. Our little control stone here is what we're going to use to direct the colossus when it's finally time. Once we bring it into battle, nothing will stop us."

The Summer Knight gaped in awe of the Druids' weapon before he glanced over to check on Stephen. Connor straightened up and spoke in a level tone again and addressed Cnute, "Well, I've got to admit. That is all very impressive, but before we see more, I think my companions and I need a little bit of rest. We had traveled a long way to get here and we could use a little time to regroup."

Cnute nodded and briskly led them back out of the walled garden before pointing to the edges of the main temple grounds, "You may set up your camp here. We'll speak more later tonight."

The knights dropped their things and began to set up a little campfire and meal until Cnute and his other sentries walked off and attended to other matters. From the temple ruins, they could still see an occasional Briar Circle follower pass by and cast some suspicious glances before heading off again. Once they had a little more privacy, the four friends gathered around their little campfire drinking water from their canteens and eating some graham crackers. Laura took a sip of water and passed the canteen off to Quinton before speaking quietly, "Did you see the power of that thing in the garden? If a small buried crystal shard like that has the potential to call up an earth titan, can you imagine what Morgana could do with that? She's already powerful enough to be a threat in her weakened state."

Stephen nodded and kept his eyes on the lookout for any Druids who could have been eavesdropping, "The important thing is how we're going make a move on that little garden. We can't bluff Cnute forever and we can't let a bunch of wacko Druids use the shard to become Faerie Realm terrorists either."

Quinton took a bite of a cracker and spoke softly, "I'm with Stephen. Do you think we'd be able to just rush the place and fight our way out?"

Connor surveyed the area quietly before shaking his head, "I'd prefer not to. These are fellow humans and I don't want to hurt them if we can avoid it. They're already suspicious of us, so we'll have to be a little more subtle."

"I assume you have a plan then?" Laura asked skeptically while crossing her arms.

"As a matter of fact I do," Connor smiled as he clapped Stephen's shoulder, "I'm going to need Stephen's help to raid that little grove. Laura and Quinton, you two stay here and wait for our signal. That's when we make our escape."

The Summer Knight rose to his feet and headed toward the central temple ruins where a handful of Briar Circle Druids were camping out. Quinton raised an eyebrow, "Connor? Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom," Connor answered with a wink as he and Stephen walked off toward the other Druids.

After crossing the lawn, the two knights neared the campfire where some Druids were roasting a rabbit on a spit for their lunch. As soon as the two approached, the Druids stopped their conversation and turned to look at the two newcomers with suspicion. Connor raised his hands in a non threatening gesture and put on a charming smile, "Hey there! Friends... sorry to bother you guys and all, but I was hoping you could help us out here and oh... are you cooking rabbit there? That smells great! You know my grandma has an old recipe for cooking them and..."

"What do you want, boy?" one of the older barbarian druids scowled toward the two knights. The other Druids didn't look much more patient or friendly either.

Connor kept up his act and smiled genially, "Right to the point eh? We were wondering if you generous folks could lend us a shovel for a little bit."

"What do we need a shovel for?" Stephen hissed quietly but he was silenced with a sharp elbow in the ribs from his companion.

"Well you see, this is all kinda embarrassing," Connor said conspiratorially, "My friends and I need to go dig a latrine. One of my female companions right over there... well, she's a bit of a princess and feels a little uncomfortable and self conscious answering the call of nature out in the open. You know what I mean? Women... am I right?"

The male Druids glared at him for a long moment before one of them reached into their camp gear and tossed him a small portable shovel, "If this will get you to shut up and leave us alone, then take it. You're annoying me."

Connor grinned, picked up the shovel and gave a gesture of thanks before walking off toward the other end of the lawn. As they made their way toward the treeline and angled gently toward the walled off garden, the Summer Knight sighed, "Well... they seemed friendly, don't you think?"

Stephen frowned, "Did you really have to throw Laura under the bus there for being a female? That wasn't very gentlemanly."

Connor shrugged and gripped the shovel, "Come on Stephen, I was making the whole thing up. Besides, do you really think these barbarians care much about chivalry and etiquette? We needed a shovel to dig up that shard and I got us one. I'm sure Laura would forgive me too. What Winter Court warrior would fault me for a little ends justifying the means approach here?"

Stephen reluctantly agreed before the two climbed quietly over the garden wall and snuck inside the glade. Aside from the rustling grass, a few birds chirped nearby while the two boys quietly hurried toward the stone pedestal in the ground. Once they reached they base, Connor pulled the shovel and began to dig furiously into the ground. "I'm going to try and dig this crystal shard up as fast as I can. Stephen, I need you to keep watch and get ready to send up a signal arrow to throw off the Druids."

Stephen nodded and summoned his bow while keeping watch over the grove. Again, the fey wards protecting the place had begun to take effect and while it wasn't causing any major pain or debilitating conditions, the feeling was still a bit uncomfortable. Several tense minutes passed as Connor dug at the soil, trying to get to the base of the pedestal. As he began to clear a small hole around the bottom of the thick pedestal, he could see a faint glowing light peeking out from underneath. Connor smiled as he caught his breath and began wiping his brow, "Hey Stephen, I think I found it! It's the buried shard!"

"You might want to hurry it up there Connor. We've got a little company!" the Silver Knight replied in dread as he suddenly spotted a pair of Druids enter the garden. They were carrying spears and most likely doing a patrol of the area. They stopped when they spotted the two boys digging up the stone pedestal and began to charge forward.

Stephen swiftly raised his bow and turned his aim toward the legs of the first man charging them, unwilling to use a lethal shot. He let loose the arrow and it struck the first Druid's leg causing him to crumple over to the ground. The other man skidded to a halt and fearfully turned around to make an escape and warn the others. The Silver Knight grimaced and tried aiming again. By now, the prolonged exposure to the fey wards in the garden were beginning to make him distracted and uncomfortable. Still, he tried to line up another shot to disable the fleeing guard without hurting him badly. To his dismay, Stephen's next arrow missed and went just wide deflecting off the metal grating.

"Okay... now would be a good time to panic," Stephen said turning back to Connor, "Are you almost done?"

"I'm working on it!" his companion growled as he tried desperately to dig the crystal free from the soil.

Soon enough, an alarm was raised and the sounds of more Druid guards were heard nearby. Angry shouts and the sounds of weapons being drawn filled the air as the savages began to hurry to the garden. Stephen gripped his bow fearfully as more enemies began to make their way to the front gate of the garden and cut off their escape route. To the surprise of the two friends, another pack of the wooden marionettes dropped from the treetops nearby and began to sprint towards them menacingly. Both Connor and Stephen sprung into action meeting their charge and smashing them away with their bow and sword. While the minion creatures were fairly weak, they did their job and bought just enough time for the other Briar Circle Druids to gather and swarm into the garden.

"Do you have any more bright ideas?" Stephen said as they finished off the marionettes and backpedaled. He felt his stomach drop at the sight of being cornered.

The Summer Knight rose and placed his hand on the control pedestal, "Only one. Hold on!"

To everyone's surprise, the ground began to rumble and quake as Connor tried to call upon the growing power of the earth titan that had been buried there. Stephen grabbed his comrade's arm as a shockwave went through the ground and knocked several Druids off their feet and pushed them back. As they fell, their leader Cnute pushed through the front gate with a furious look, "What is going on here?"

He and the other savage Druids were silenced as they witnessed a great four legged monster arise from the ground and give a bellowing roar. The giant beast bore some resemblance to a colossal elephant made of in dirt, roots, and rocks and each time it stamped its hooves, the ground shook some more. Near the base of the earth elemental's neck, Connor gripped the magic stone pedestal desperately trying to keep the titan under control by focusing on his own will. The giant stumbled drunkenly for several moments before Cnute roared to his men carrying crossbows, "What are you waiting for? Fire! Kill them!"

The Druids leveled their weapons and fired off a poorly aimed volley of bolts at the creature, most of which either went high or stuck harmlessly in the giant elephant's thick hide. Now having been put into a fury, the magic beast lowered its tusks and charged forward tearing apart the earth and smashing its way through the gates and low stone walls of the garden. The Briar Circle Druids scrambled and dove clear of the beast so as not to be trampled, only to then stare dumbly as it barreled by in savage primal fury. Not far across the lawn, Quinton and Laura had jumped to their feet and prepared for a fight, only to be shocked when they saw a giant elephant titan made of earth plow through toward them.

"What is that thing?" Quinton gasped in shock while Laura shook her head to herself.

"What has that idiot done this time?"

They both stopped when they spotted their two comrades riding on the back of the raging quadruped. Stephen gave a frantic wave as they neared, "Grab on! We're getting out of here!"

The colossus thundered by and the Spring and Winter Knights used their summoned blades to stab into the beast's earthy hide and latch on. As they frantically scrambled up the side of the great elemental beast, it continued to thunder ahead while Connor tried desperately to direct it from the control pedestal. Although they continued charging away from the Mistmeadow ruins and back toward the original portal location, the berserk colossus had taken on a mind of its own and it bucked and thrashed about, knocking over trees of stomping flat any mounds of earth that got in its path.

"You're completely mad, you know that?" Laura shouted to Connor as she gripped on for dear life and grabbed hold of Stephen to help brace her.

"Less bickering, more digging! The shard is at the base of this pedestal," Connor shouted as he kept struggling to rein in the giant elemental titan. Right now, he felt like some hapless cowboy trying desperately to hang on as a wild bull bucked and thrashed about. Quinton immediately dove for the base of the pedestal and called his sickle weapon to try and pry the glowing crystal shard free.

The colossal elephant bellowed another trumpeting cry before sweeping aside a row of trees with its tusks and crushing a few more boulders flat. As Quinton was bucked sideways, he gave one more great tug and succeeded in prying free Mogana's crystal shard from the base of the pedestal.

"I've got it!"

Although the knights now had their prize, they suddenly found themselves with another dire problem. What would they do with a now crazed war mammoth that was tearing apart the forests? Connor gripped the now useless pedestal and grabbed hold of Laura's other hand to help secure her and Stephen, "I've lost control! Now what?"

"We can't let this thing run wild across Spring!" Stephen shouted desperately, "We're going to have to put it down!"

"Easier said than done," Quinton replied as he tucked the shard safely into his cargo shorts and grabbed fast to Connor, "Dumbo here is like 50 times bigger than all of us! How are we going to slow it down?"

The elemental thrashed again, almost causing the four to be thrown off again. Laura gasped and gripped the pedestal, "Maybe if we try hitting it where its whole form began... right here."

The Winter Knight dug her rapier into the half dug out base of the stone structure, "Connor and Quinton, let's try to break this thing off. If we can, maybe Stephen can use an arrow and kill it from there?"

Connor nodded and drove his own blade into the gap of the soil across from Laura, "We have nothing to lose! Let's try it!"

As Quinton joined them, the three charged their blades and gave a great push against the stone control pedestal until it finally budged and began to tear from the soil. Laura grinned, "Keep pushing! We've almost got it!"

With another great effort, the three knights pried the pedestal free and pushed it off the giant beast where it shattered on the ground. In the gap where the pedestal had been, there was a glowing light where the magic that had been fueling the elemental had pooled. In a way, it was almost like a heart and a central nervous system all at the same time. Stephen grabbed his bow and pulled back a shot, aiming directly at the now exposed gap. Without another moment's waste, he fired an arrow directly into the glowing pool of magic energy that drove the earth elemental. The colossal elephant gave a wounded cry and shuddered before swaying and falling forward onto its knees. As it hit the ground, the destabilized magic beast began to disintegrate into a gigantic pile of rocks, soil, roots, and vegetation. Using the momentum of the falling beast, the four knights jumped at the last moment and hit the forest floor with a hard roll which stunned and bruised them, but kept them from suffering any worse injury.

Amid the great cloud of soil and raining bits of vegetation, the four exhausted friends rolled over and began helping each other up. Stephen gave a relieved sigh as he helped Laura to her feet while propping himself up with his bow, "Brilliant strategy Laura. I can't believe that worked."

"Neither can I," she admitted while catching her own breath and shaking some leaves out of her hair.

Nearby, Quinton was slow to get up after having the wind knocked out of him, but Connor was already there helping his best friend up and supporting him while they stood, "You okay there Quin?"

The Spring Knight nodded, "I'm good, but the important thing is we got the crystal shard back. Maybe not in the best way, but..."

"But I think we should still get some style points for taking out a giant elephant too," Connor chimed in, "Now come on, we've got a date with Morgana. The portal back home shouldn't be far from here and we need to get a move on. I'm sure those Briar Circle guys are going to be following us and a giant earth elemental isn't exactly subtle about covering its tracks."


	46. Mo Ghile Mear: My Gallant Darling

**Episode 23: Part 2  
**

After rejoining Kristen and heading back into town, the knights were once again met with the ominous enchanted fog that blanketed the town. Unlike the gentle hauntingly beautiful haze of the Mistmeadows, the spell that hade been crafted by Mogana had a sinister and oppressive quality to it. Upon driving back to the antique shop, the party got out of the car and met Mr. O'Doyle who was keeping watch over the place for them. The older Druid looked up and gave a sigh of relief when he saw them enter through the door before rising to greet them. "Thank the Daghda you guys are back. Did you have any luck finding that shard?"

Quinton reached into his pocket and pulled out the glowing crystal with a smile, "Well… it took some doing, but we finally got it."

As the allies all gathered, the two gargoyles came out of hiding to greet the knights. Although they were safe indoors, he sensed that there was some kind of trouble brewing outside and wanted to stay clear of it. Laura reached down and picked Scratch up to offer some reassurance before turning to the others. "Well, what are we supposed to do now? We can't just hand that thing over to Morgana, or expect her to keep her word."

"She's right," Stephen said while crossing his arms, "I'm sure Morgana's set this up so we'll be bargaining from a position of weakness."

Connor ambled over to the front counter and idly touched a stained glass window pane with a Celtic cross design on it, "Not quite Stephen. If we play things right, we just might be able to use Morgana's own arrogance against her."

Kristen raised an eyebrow, "What are you suggesting Connor?"

The Summer Knight smiled, "Morgana already thinks we mortals are beneath her… that we're stupid and short sighted. If she thinks I made that deal with her to save Noelle out of sheer desperation and emotion, then she's shown her blind spot. I propose we trick her back."

"How?" Quinton asked, "You can't violate a faerie bargain without some really bad things happening to you."

"I'm not going to break my word," Connor said while turning to Kristen, "But I will need a little help from someone with skill in magic and antiques. How much colored glass do you have to spare?"

* * *

After dressing back into their colonial outfits to blend in with the Heritage Festival, the knights returned to the fair grounds where the majority of the townspeople remained trapped in their enchanted slumber. A light wind rippled in the air as the four friends made their way past the still and silent tents and exhibit booths. After a short walk, they came to the field where they had confronted Morgana. They came to a halt and waited patiently, watching and listening for any signs of life.

"Where is she?' Quinton muttered nervously, "I have this sinking feeling she's laid another trap for us."

"She said she'd ensure the safety of the victims," Connor reminded him, "She's not going to go back on her word if they're going to be in the crossfire."

"You're absolutely right Summer Knight," came the voice of Morgana as she stepped calmly out of the fog. Despite the outward appearance of Leanansidhe, the knights could tell that Morgana was in control as the witch moved and spoke with an easy imperious confidence. "I see you've returned from the Mistmeadows of Spring. Am I to assume you trounced those barbarous Druids and recovered my crystal shard?"

"We have," Connor nodded as he reached inside his waistcoat pocket and removed a glass shard. "We're here to keep our word to you too and deal in good faith."

The witch extended her hand with a delighted predatory smile, "Excellent! Now give me the shard."

"Not so fast Morgana," Connor retorted holding the shard back, "You're going to keep your part of the deal first. I want you to remove this fog and return all the people who have been victims of it, including Noelle."

"You insolent boy. You dare dictate terms to me?" the witch snarled with sudden fury.

The Summer Knight held firm and stared her down, "We made a deal so we'll treat each other as peers. It's not an unreasonable request. You have what we want and we have what you want."

Morgana glared at him for a long moment and gritted her teeth before giving a wave of her hand. "Very well."

Upon doing that, the magic fog that had surrounded the region began to dissipate slowly and lift giving way to faint pockets of sunlight again. She gestured again to the ground where she had released the physical form of Noelle. The young knight lay peacefully on the ground and appeared to be unharmed. "Once the fog lifts and sunlight touches the faces of the mortals, the enchantment will be lifted."

Morgana then crossed her arms and gave an expectant look. "I have fulfilled my end of our deal. Now for your part of the exchange?"

Connor scowled and gripped the crystal shard again before tossing it gently to Morgana. The witch snatched it from the air and grinned triumphantly while Stephen and Quinton hurried over to recover Noelle. As she turned to examine her prize and absorb its power, she stopped and frowned in confusion. To her dismay the crystal shard was completely inert. The witch studied the object for a moment before whirling around in rage, "Treachery! This is not a crystal shard from the Staff of Morrigan! This is a fake."

"You're right," Connor smiled slyly as Laura stepped beside him to offer some backup, "I never actually agreed to give you the shard back. But some of our Druid friends crafted a pretty convincing replica, don't you think?"

The fey witch sputtered, "But you said…"

"What I said was that I'd bring the shard back to this meadow when it's time to make an exchange… and I have."

Morgana gave a murderous glare and eyed the four knights arrayed against her, "Then that must mean that one of you still has the crystal on your person right here. I'll just have to kill you all to find it!"

As the knights squared off and prepared for battle, they stopped as they witnessed a large band of spriggan warriors appear out of the mist, only they weren't coming to reinforce Morgana. Instead, that company of Fomorian soldiers was under the command of Balor's other general, the redcap Seamus. All three factions stopped abruptly and faced each other down before Seamus was handed his spiked chain weapon. His severed forearm was still in the process of regenerating but it didn't keep him from still being a formidable combatant.

"Morgana! We've finally found you again. I figured you were hiding in this fog like a cowardly snake. I'm taking you in to Lord Balor dead or alive."

"Well… bugger," Laura cursed quietly upon realizing a three way free for all was about to ensue. "I think we'd better suit up?"

"Good call," Connor nodded as the four knights raised their rings, " _Athru_!"

In a brilliant flash of colored light, the knights drew their weapons and took a defensive stance. Seamus watched the humans ready themselves before turning back to his troops. "We came for Morgana. If the knights get in the way, kill them too!"

The spriggans charged forward as Morgana pivoted on her heel and moved to make a swift attack on the knights. While the four tumbled out of the way, Quinton scooped up Noelle and handed her off to Connor, "Get her to safety. We'll slow these clowns down."

The Summer Knight nodded and took off carrying Noelle while Laura recovered to her feet and took command of the others, "All right! Stay clear of Morgana and halt the Formorians. No one gets through!"

* * *

Moments later, the meadows were filled with the sound of ringing steel and combat as Seamus leapt at Morgana while the Formorian foot soldiers locked weapons with the other knights. While the battle raged, Connor hurried across the field to find a safe place to put Noelle. Unfortunately the fog was still lifting and the sunlight hadn't completely been able to break through to end the curse. Finally, he found a spot closer to the main event grounds under a blooming magnolia tree. He gently placed her down and raised his visor just enough to plant a small kiss on her forehead, "Just hold on a little longer Noelle. I promise I'll be back soon."

With that, he lowered his visor and went sprinting back toward the battlefield to help his other friends. By now, the main lawn that had once been a battlefield for the Revolutionary War reenactment had become a chaotic free for all melee. Stephen kicked aside a spriggan and smashed another away with his bow before shooting a third with an arrow. Nearby, Morgana wove through combat, slashing down any spriggan that crossed her path before being harried by Seamus. The redcap had assumed his hulking monstrous form and took a great swing, forcing the witch to backpedal before Laura swept in from the flank and made an opportunistic rapier attack on the troll.

Seamus gave a howl of pain as he was staggered by a bitterly cold sword slash and thrown sideways in a burst of Winter Ice. The Winter Knight turned back toward the fey witch and leveled her rapier in a threatening stance, "All right Morgana, you're next."

As the two clashed swords and began exchanging blows, Morgana halted Laura in a crossblock and took a moment to marvel at her opponent's surprising strength. It was at that moment the realization came to her and Morgana grinned, "Aha! You're the one with the shard!"

Morgana parried Laura's rapier aside and quickly called up dark tendrils of necrotic magic to tie down the female knight. Laura gasped at the sudden attack and suddenly found herself being restrained and weakened until the with reared back and struck a hard blow with her blade. The Winter Knight went tumbling to the ground and her armor dispelled leaving the glowing crystal shard in her hand.

As Morgana approached and raised her sword for a finishing blow, it was blocked from the side as Connor came charging into battle and sweeping aside Morgana's strike. He shoulder checked the witch and ignited his blade to give his comrade time to recover to her feet, "Laura get clear!"

As Connor began tangling with Morgana, Laura nodded and moved to withdraw until she was grabbed by the leg from the downed Seamus. The troll grunted and began to pull her toward him but gave a furious shout as Quinton joined the fray and leapt upon the redcap's back. In the three way tussle, Laura reared back and hurled the crystal shard high in the air, "Stephen! You know what to do!"

Nearby, the Silver Knight turned and saw the projectile flying high into the air causing all the combatants on the field to stop and stare for a moment. Without wasting any time, he drew back an arrow and made ready to carry out the knights' backup plan if all else failed. He released the arrow and the bolt of silver light struck the shard, shattering it into a cloud of glittering particles and buzzing energy.

"No!" Morgana cried as she watched in horror as her prize exploded in front of her eyes.

With all the ambient faerie magic surging across the battlefield, the other knights stopped and watched as their fey weapons reacted and flared up with even greater buzzing power. Morgana again tried to charge forward, but she was stopped by a combined Silver Starburst arrow and a bolt of crackling Spring Thunder which violently threw her back to the ground. Morgana shrieked and took on a smokey form before departing from the battlefield, "You cursed knights! You've ruined everything! I swear you'll pay for crossing me this time!"

Meanwhile, Seamus rolled to his feet and tried to bring his spiked chain around but Connor twirled his blade and hacked it apart with an empowered fiery slash. The Summer Knight surged forward and the troll desperately backpedaled in sudden fear before the knight threw him backwards with a searing cut across the torso that set his rough hide on fire. Seamus gave a scream as he furiously tried to put out the flames before turning and running from the field. Connor moved to pursue him but Laura stopped him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Stay. We'll finish chasing off Seamus and the last of the spriggans."

"What? Are you sure?"

Stephen gave a nod and clapped his comrade on the back, "Positive. You should go check on the civilians and make sure Sleeping Beauty wakes up too."

Connor stared in disbelief for a moment and could almost swear he saw Quinton give a conspiratorial wink behind his visor as he passed by. While the other three drew their weapons again and charged off in the direction of the fleeing Fomorians, the Summer Knight shook his head and made his way back across the forest preserve where the civilians were still recovering.

* * *

As the last of the battle wound down and his allies drove off the rest of the monstrous invaders, Connor returned to the flowering magnolia tree and bent down to check on Noelle as she lay sleeping. He smiled as he dispelled his armor and gently brushed aside a strand of her hair before noticing that the enchanted fog that had fallen over Somerset Valley began to lift some more. Up above, the bright light of the summer sun began to finally break through and dissolve the miasma, warming the faces of everyone outside. From where he knelt, Connor could see several festival goers and volunteers slowly begin to wake as the renewing light of the sun touched their faces.

While more sunlight began to stream through the trees, Connor looked down and noticed that Noelle had begun to stir and cracked her eyes open slowly. The Autumn Knight gave a bleary eyed smile and sighed, "Connor?"

"Hey Sleeping Beauty," he said gently as he reached down to help her stand up, "You missed all the fun."

She gave a tired yawn as if still in a little bit of a daze, "I was having the most wonderful dream. There were Elves, colorful flowers, music, and there was this gallant knight with shining armor on a beautiful white horse riding toward me."

"Well, will you settle for a hedge knight in hand me down faerie armor?" Connor chuckled as he steadied her.

As she began to come to, Noelle blinked her eyes for a moment before she reoriented herself and began to tense up, "Wait... where am I? Where is Morgana..."

"Calm down," the Summer Knight replied, "Everything is okay. Morgana has been driven off. The others are seeing to that. Are you okay?"

She put a hand to her cheek, "I... I think so. Everything that happened is still kind of a blur."

Connor nodded, "Morgana blasted you with some sleeping spell along with the rest of the town. The other knights and I made a little deal with that witch to run an errand in the Faerie Realm, but we just found a way to screw her over instead."

At the mention of the fey contract, Noelle began to sob quietly before stepping forward and burying her face in Connor's chest, "Connor... I am so sorry about everything. I'm sorry I made a deal with Morgana too but I had to do it to save your life! I was so worried when you got hurt... and I wasn't allowed to tell anyone. You have to believe me that I wasn't working with her and..."

He put his arms around her and held her in a comforting hug, "I know. You did it to protect me and I'll always be grateful to you for that. When Morgana almost took you from us, I bargained for your release because I couldn't stand the thought of losing you either... because you mean too much to me."

Noelle stopped and raised her head to look at him, "What?"

Connor cleared his throat and fixed his eyes on hers, "Listen, ever since we met freshmen year, you've always been loyal, brave, and kind. You're always looking out for the rest of us and putting everyone else's needs before your own. That's what makes you a good knight and one of my best friends here at school... but if you're willing, I was hoping you'd consider being something more from now on."

Noelle felt her cheeks grow warm as she blinked in surprise, "Something more? Like what?"

"Well... for starters, I was thinking maybe something like a girlfriend," Connor answered sheepishly, "I uh... know I don't always get everything right all the time and I'm far from perfect boyfriend material but..."

"But no one is asking you to be," the Autumn Knight beamed as she drew close to him, "I know your heart is in the right place like the way you take great risks for others and the way you care about your friends... just like what you did for me today. That's why I love you too."

Connor smiled and touched her cheek before leaning in and drawing Noelle into a long yet gentle kiss. When they parted, he and Noelle both shared a small giddy laugh while nuzzling their noses together.

As the last of the enchanted mist faded and the rest of the townspeople awoke from their slumber, the people of Somerset Valley took a few moments to make sense of what had happened. It was clear the rest of the Fourth of July Heritage Festival was going to continue again soon as the townsfolk began making some speculation of more faerie mischief while the other knights returned on the scene. Although they had dismissed their armor and weapons, they still appeared a bit worn out and disheveled from their ordeals.

As the others approached from across the lawn to greet Noelle and welcome her back, she stopped and turned to Connor, "Well... the battle might be over for today, but I guess I still have a lot of explaining to do to the others, huh?"

He threaded his fingers around hers and began walking forward with a gentle smile, "Maybe, but I think it'll be best if we start by doing that part... together."

The two knights shared another quick kiss and began walking forward to greet their friends amid the renewing light of the summer sun, side by side and hand in hand.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **This marks the start of the last third of this series. To all those who have been following along up to now, thank you again! I really do appreciate the support and interest shown thus far.**


	47. A Royal Invitation

**Episode 24: Part 1  
**

The chatter of students filled the air as a new school year began for the students of Somerset Valley University. The intense heat of the summer season had finally begun to give way to the cooler gentler season of autumn. It had been a week since classes had started up again and the five knights gathered together to take a stroll down the parkway of the central quad. It was a bright mild afternoon and everyone on campus wanted to be out to enjoy the weather.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm already swamped with homework," Quinton sighed while hefting his backpack. "I'm going to pray that the faeries don't give us any problems right now. I've already got to start working on my first term paper for that European History class."

Laura gave him a light nudge in the arm, "Oh Quinton, there's no need to be so dramatic. I'll help you."

"I suppose you would be a bit of a resident expert in that field," Stephen chuckled, "I was thinking of taking that course too, but I heard the professor was a bit of a hardcase."

Noelle smiled and gave a small sigh while she walked along holding Connor's hand, "Well, don't worry Quinton. You're not the only one suffering a problem in class scheduling this semester. I'm not going to have my preferred Bio lab partner this year."

Connor rolled his eyes gently, "Oh come on now. I fulfilled my Science course requirements. It's not my fault that we didn't decide to get together until after the school year."

The other three turned and fixed the Summer Knight with looks of playful scrutiny before Laura smirked, "Well… that's debatable."

The other two boys laughed while Connor gave a mild huff and Noelle patted his arm reassuringly. They continued on their walk along the grassy parkways until they came across Eliza McConnel sitting on a bench tuning her guitar while chatting with Quinton's girlfriend Kayla. The young musician smiled brightly and plucked a few strings on her instrument, "Hey guys! Just my luck. I was hoping I'd catch you passing by at some point."

Quinton walked over to greet his girlfriend with a quick kiss as Kayla gave his hand a squeeze, "Quinton, Eliza was just telling me that Mr. O'Doyle in town was looking for you and your friends. He said it was something important."

The others exchanged a quick look before Eliza lowered her voice slightly. Everyone present knew the knights' secret, but they didn't want to take any chances either, "You don't think it has to do with the umm... faeries do you?"

"Well, it has been a good month or two since they've caused any mayhem around here. I suppose it is a little overdue," Laura sighed, "But don't you think Kristen would have said something to us?"

"Let's just stop by the pub and see what it is first," Connor suggested as he gave a grateful wave to Eliza, "We might as well see for ourselves before we make Kristen freak out about something else. You guys coming?"

The five friends took a short walk from the main grounds of the school into campus town nearby. With the new school year starting, the streets were busy with students buying textbooks or school supplies while gangs of new freshmen students wandered about looking lost and trying to find their way around.

Laura smirked as she saw the younger students before looking to Stephen, her now fellow sophomore, "Please tell me we didn't look that clueless last year... did we?"

"Me? No," Stephen chuckled playfully, "You? I think you were just hiding it well."

The three older friends laughed as the Winter Knight gave a mild huff and slapped Stephen's arm as they approached the front doors to the pub. Because classwork at the college had not quite gotten into full swing yet, there was still a lot of activity going on that week with students enjoying some warm pub food or blowing off some steam over a few beers.

As they walked in the doors of the pub, the knights froze in shock as they witnessed a surreal sight before them. The usual sounds of music, chatter, and bustling students in the pub were absent as everyone remained frozen in place like statues. Stephen immediately recognized the spell as he spotted Mr. O'Doyle quietly wiping down beer glasses at the counter while a familiar Elven nobleman sat at a nearby table waiting for them. He had the same long blond hair and fair features that they remembered seeing again several months prior.

Gwydion, one of the high lords of the Summer Court reclined casually while sipping a glass of red wine that O'Doyle had given him. The regal elf in red and gold robes looked up in amusement when he saw them and smiled, "Ah, if it isn't the human knights of the valley… please, sit down."

He gestured to the open spots at the round wooden table in front of him causing the five students to exchange hesitant looks. Noelle turned back to their visitor and bowed her head slightly, "Lord Gwydion… this is a little bit of a surprise."

The Lord of Summer maintained his inscrutable smile and waited for the others to sit down. He gave an idle glance toward the other frozen bar patrons before turning back to them nonchalantly, "I admit, this visit is a bit... unexpected, but I assure you I'm not here to cause any harm."

Laura's features tightened, "If I remember right, you and some other faerie soldiers were helping a bunch of demons kidnap some of our locals back then."

"Ah yes... the demon Tithe. A regrettable business to be sure," Gwydion sighed, "Personally, I've never really been fond of the terms of that ancient treaty, but it's not my place to question it either."

Mr. O'Doyle approached the table and set out some glasses of water for the knights along with a wine bottle for Gwydion if he wanted to refill his glass. "Remember everyone, Lord Gwydion is our guest here. He's come to my pub in peace so we'll respect the fey customs of hospitality while he's visiting."

Connor cleared his throat after the elder Druid's gentle reminder, "We're sorry about that Lord Gwydion. We've been dealing with a lot of bargains and mind games from less than friendly faeries recently. You wanted to speak to us about something?"

The Elf took a graceful sip of wine and savored the taste before looking back to the assembled knights, "Yes. I've come on behalf of the Summer Court to deliver a message… or rather, an invitation."

The humans blinked in surprise before Quinton raised an eyebrow, "What kind of invitation?"

Gwydion set his wine glass down and folded his hands, "A formal invitation to visit the royals of the Summer Court. Your actions over this past year have not gone unnoticed. Many prominent members in the Faerie Courts have been taking note of all your heroic deeds and victories against Balor's war host. It would seem that King Oberon and Queen Titania wish to speak with you five about forging a more… advantageous relationship."

Stephen grinned and exchanged a little fist bump with Noelle, "This is great! If we can form a stronger alliance with any of the Courts, we'll be sure to beat Balor."

Connor remained neutral as he eyed the Elven noble in front of him, "With respect, but I feel like there's something more going on here. We know that the Court of Stars had been making efforts to unify your efforts, but why is the Summer Court taking the initiative now?"

Gwydion regarded him calmly before reaching for his wine glass, "I'm afraid I'm not privy to all the inner workings of the King and Queen's plans. That may be something you'll have to ask them for yourself Summer Knight."

"All right then, so where and when does this meeting take place?" Noelle asked curiously.

"The Summer Court will be expecting to meet with you in two weeks time when the rays of the sun begin to grow long and weak. We will wait for your arrival in our capital of _Solas_ , the city of sunlight."

Quinton nodded, "All right, is there anything we'll have to know before meeting the Royal Court?"

Gwydion glanced slowly toward him, "I will help guide you and instruct you in proper etiquette when we arrive. Until then, I suggest you prepare a suitable gift to offer as tribute."

"I suppose that's fitting," Laura mused thoughtfully, "But from what we learned about the fey up to now, they're a bit more abstract in the kinds of gifts they want, right?"

Gwydion smiled, "Ah, you've learned well Lady Laura. You are correct that a gift worthy of the Royal Court must be special and unique."

"Would it be too much to ask for some of your guidance now?" Connor asked the Summer lord, "That is… what to give?"

The Elf rose from the table slowly and began to pace the room while thoughtfully admiring some of the pub's Celtic décor, "I may be able to point you in the right direction. I've recently heard rumor of a wondrous treasure that lies deep in the realm of Autumn… a treacherous region known as Blackmoor Marsh."

"What sort of treasure?" Stephen asked curiously as he took a sip of water.

Gwydion continued pacing, "It's said that deep in those swamps lies an enchanted tree which can produce wondrous fruit. Some say it holds the secrets to long life while others believe the fruit is made of solid gold."

"And no one has recovered any of the said fruit?" Laura asked.

Gwydion shook his head, "To my knowledge, no. A few stragglers are said to have survived a run in with the tree's guardian… some foul creature by the name of Hexus. They say the way to the treasure is to follow the whims of the witchlights."

Connor frowned, "I don't like this. Isn't there something else we can do? Like raid an old tomb or bottle our own tears for the fey?"

The Summer lord folded his hands and gave a smile, "Invitations to an audience with fey nobility can be considered a test of true worth. If you are able to succeed on a quest to give the royals something valuable, then the time and attention they give you in return is truly earned and not wasted in their eyes."

"Of course… nothing is ever straightforward or easy with the fey, is it?" Quinton grumbled under his breath to Connor.

Gwydion headed toward the door and gave a serene smile, "I've helped you five as much as I could right now. I wish you luck in your journey and I hope to see you in two weeks time."

With that, the Elven lord snapped his fingers and ended the time freeze spell. In the blink of an eye, Lord Gwydion was gone and the pub was again filled with the sounds of music, raucous laughter and clinking beer glasses.

"Well, that was... interesting," Noelle muttered, "I'm not sure if I should be feeling flattered, or full of dread right now."

Laura stepped forward and put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Whatever the case, I think this is the perfect time for us to talk to Kristen and make her freak out now, don't you think?"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the deep dark caverns of the Underworld, the warlord Balor walked down a row of his most formidable Fomorian warriors. The leader of the war host cast his baleful gaze upon them, inspecting them to make sure they were going to be ready for combat against their ancient enemies soon. At the end of the formation, the redcap general Seamus stood at the ready in his Elven disguise.

After passing his warriors, Balor turned and gave a satisfied nod, "This is a good start. The war host is growing in numbers and you lot are in good shape. I'm glad to see that the leaders of my soldiers look like competent officers."

He paused a moment for effect before continuing on, "Soon we will be ready to make our great push. We will swarm into the mortal world and use its prime position as our staging ground to assault the Faerie Realm. We've been rotting down here for hundreds of years, but now will be our time to retake what is rightfully ours from those arrogant entitled Elves."

The Fomorian troops that were present all saluted and gave their warlord a cheer which echoed in the vast dark caverns. When the cheering died down, Seamus stepped forward, "Forgive me Lord Balor, but if we are to act, I'd suggest that we don't delay. I've received word from my spies that the strength of the Court of Stars grows. Just recently, a noble Sidhe from the Summer Court has visited the valley. I imagine he's making overtures to the human there... perhaps to strengthen ties."

Balor nodded and pondered over the situation for a few moments. Finally, he looked back up toward his chief general, "Our fields armies are still gathering their strength and being equipped. Until then, I want you or your agents to monitor those knights. Hamper their efforts and do whatever you can to drive wedges in between them and the other Faerie Courts. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly my lord," Seamus replied with a bowed head, "And what of Leanansidhe? She and the witch Morgana are still on the loose."

Balor turned away from his officers and headed back toward his throne room, "If she cannot be exorcised or reasoned with, then my orders remain standing. Eliminate her if she gets in the way."

Seamus nodded again and dismissed the others Fomorians. For now, he had a job to do. That was to find out what the knights were up to and to stop whatever countermeasure they were likely planning.

* * *

A few days passed and the knights gathered together at the far eastern edge of town where a bend in one of the local creeks spilled over into a grassy lowland plane. Because the banks of the little river were low here, water sometimes collected and made the ground muddy and soggy which was even more fitting on that particular Friday afternoon. The skies were a dark melancholy gray blotting out the sun while a light autumn rain shower continued to pitter patter over the region. For every other citizen and student in Somerset Valley, it was the perfect day to stay indoors, safe and dry from the wet cold rain.

Instead, the knights found themselves standing in a wet muddy field dressed in hiking clothes and rain gear along with their Druid mentor Kristen. She stood patiently waiting for the right conditions to open a gate to the Faerie Realm and kept her eyes fixed on the small puddles of muddy water around them. While the knights stood patiently, they couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. It wasn't the first time they had crossed over into the fantastical plane of reality, but every new location brought its own challenges and surprises, and if Gwydion's words were to be taken at face value, a treacherous fey swamp would probably be their most dangerous excursion yet.

"Do you think this enchanted tree thing is for real?" Stephen quietly muttered to Quinton but the Spring Knight hushed him as Kristen raised her Druid staff and planted it into a puddle while speaking a few words of a Celtic incantation. In an instant, the puddle began to shimmer and the six adventurers stepped through, falling into the wet hole in the ground before instantly finding themselves standing in a new place.

After crossing over into the Faerie Realm, the six saw that the rains had stopped and they now stood at the edges of a foreboding marshland. The sun hung low in the skies and cast a weak orange light through the forest of moss covered trees ahead. Beneath them, the ground was swampy and muddy and came up just over the ankles of the travelers' boots. Kristen planted her staff in the ground and cleared her throat with an uneasy tone in her voice, "Well everyone, welcome to Autumn. If my geography is right, this looks like the edge of the Blackmoor Marshes."

Noelle pinched her nose and wrinkled her features slightly, "Eww, what's that terrible smell? It smells like ass."

"Must be swamp gas," Quinton smirked, trying to make light of the situation while squishing some mud with his boot, "Or maybe we should just call it swamp ass."

Laura rolled her eyes and scanned the entrance of the marshes, "So, assuming this magic tree lies somewhere within this godforsaken land, how do we go about finding it?"

"Gwydion said to follow the witchlights... whatever that means," Connor chimed in while removing his wet raincoat and securing his backpack.

Kristen nodded and stepped forward to lead the way, "He must have been referring to the will o the wisps which are a naturally occurring phenomenon in the bogs."

Stephen crossed his arms skeptically, "If it's natural and random, do you really think they'll be reliable enough to lead us to this place?"

Kristen shrugged, "Remember that the Faerie Realm doesn't always follow normal rules. Things that shouldn't make sense to us, are perfectly normal here... including will o the wisps."

As she spoke, everyone turned to see a flickering mote of colored light wink in and out of existence in the near distance. Connor took a deep breath and began to slog forward, "Well everyone, I guess that's our cue? We've got to start somewhere and this looks like the place to do it."


	48. Tough Mudders

**Episode 24: Part 2  
**

A few hours passed and the six travelers pushed on into treacherous murk of the Blackmoor Marshes. Black colored petrified trees lined the way, bent and contorted in several places while others reached out menacingly with low hanging branches. Old green moss hung off the skeletal trees like living burial shrouds while the occasional bleak cawing of a crow pierced the desolate air. Every once in a while, the party would catch sight of a flickering light in the distant air making them change the direction of their march.

After a long hike, the six stopped to take a break and rest upon some mounds of fallen tree logs and vegetation which formed a small island in the middle of the bog. While Stephen and Kristen stood watch and kept a vigilant lookout, the others took a moment to sit and catch their breath. From where she sat, Laura grimaced and took out a cloth to wipe away some of the mud and pondscum that had begun collecting on her boots and pants, "I must say, this has not been one of our more pleasant journeys to date."

"Tell me about it," Quinton agreed as he sat beside her and swatted away some bugs that idly buzzed around them. "If the terrain doesn't kill us first, we might have to worry about malaria or something."

Nearby, Noelle set her backpack down and tiredly leaned her head against Connor's shoulder to rest, "We should be on the lookout for that Hexus monster that Gwydion warned us about. We don't know anything about it after all."

Connor shrugged and tried to cheer his friends up, "Yeah, but we'll probably stand a better chance against it. Remember, those treasure hunters who got wiped out didn't have the benefit of magic armor and weapons like we do."

"I guess so. If worst comes to worst, we can always just try to grab one of those magic fruits off the tree and make a run for it too," Stephen added off handedly while he surveyed the rest of the area.

Kristen simply frowned to herself and gripped her staff a little tighter, "I admit, I don't know anything about this tree or this Hexus monster, but I'm still uncomfortable with chasing down an unverified rumor."

"It's not like we have much of a choice," Laura countered gently, "I don't think Gwydion would be misleading us about all this."

"Even so… it would be a little more reassuring if we got some more concrete help," Stephen sighed.

Quinton sat and took a sip of water from his canteen before handing it off to the Autumn Knight, "Hey Noelle, you're on pretty good terms with the Erlking… the lord of Autumn. Do you think he or his Huntsmen could help us out here?"

Kristen shook his head, "That might not be wise Quinton. The Erlking might be an ally of sorts, but he's got a very unpredictable nature. Considering he's the ruler of this land, he might not be too happy that we're technically trespassing, or calling him. If anything, he might be insulted that we didn't know our place. He'd expect us to make the effort to go see him and petition him in his home rather than call him like he was some servant."

"Yeah, good idea. Let's not piss the Erlking off then, "Connor gulped. "If everyone is ready, maybe we should keep going now and get a move on while we still have some light."

After breaking camp, the travelers continued slogging on following the witchlights until they came upon some imposing terrain stretching out before them. Just up ahead lay a dense thicket of dark colored brambles. The gnarled plants were thick and the sizeable thorns that jutted out were enough to give any creature pause. In the far distant mists of the bog, the next witchlight beacon flickered beyond the bramble thicket as if mocking them to cross the equivalent of a barbed wire fence in the Faerie Realm. Upon nearing the large brambles, Kristen raised a hand signaling for the knights to keep their distance while she observed the formidable hedges.

After a long minute of silence, the Druid turned around with a concerned expression, "Just as I feared… Umbral Briars."

"What's so bad about it?" Stephen asked, "Can't we just hack through it with our swords? Or maybe you could use your Druid powers to coax them aside."

Kristen stood scratching her chin, "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Umbral Briar is a certain kind of bramble with some deadly properties. For one thing, the thorns secrete a potent chemical which can immobilize you our put you to sleep if you should get cut or pierced by them."

"Okay… so we'll wear our armor to protect us," Quinton suggested, "That should be fine, right?"

"Not exactly," Kristen explained as she chewed her bottom lip, "These types of brambles have a sort of primal sentience to them. Not only are they tough to deal with, but these plants can move and encircle its victims, albeit very slowly"

Laura blinked in sudden horror as realization struck her, "Wait… you aren't saying that these briars intentionally trap and kill other things… are you?"

The Druid snorted, "What do you think keeps these things so large and well fertilized? That's why you shouldn't let their thorns touch you. If we're going to make our way through this briar patch, we have to do it carefully."

Connor nodded and used his ring to summon his Elven sword. With a flick of the wrist, he ignited it with a blazing sheath of bright warm Summer Fire, "All right. I'll start trimming the hedges. Kristen, show us the way."

After calling on their fey armor, the small party of knights pushed forward and followed behind Connor as he hacked at the dense briars obstructing their path. From the safety of the formation's center, Kristen stood directing them on their path. Despite the spirited efforts of the Summer Knight and the help of an enchanted flaming blade, it was still slow going and every once in a while, another knight would take over the cutting duties so that Connor could rest. Once they had reached the halfway point of the briar patch, the adventurers took a moment to observe a narrow path opening up into a small marshy clearing. As they observed their surroundings, the six watched in growing dread as the bog mists shifted and the Umbral Briars seemed to slowly move with it. It was difficult to perceive, but upon closer inspection, the path they had just cut through had been altered and the positioning of obstacles in the way changed positions slightly as well.

"Oh wow... that's really creepy," Laura murmured while Kristen ignited her own Druid staff to shed some more light for them.

"It's getting late," the Druid said glancing to the fading light of the skies, "We should hurry and get out of this briar patch before nightfall. Who knows how much it'll shift again after that."

"You realize we've just been given an open path through part of these hedges," Noelle pointed out, "It could be a trap. Do you want to risk this shortcut?"

Quinton surprised everyone by stepping forward, "Let's do it. I'll scout ahead slowly and keep a lookout for danger."

He handed Connor back his flaming sword before drawing his own sickle and marching forward over the open marshland ahead. Connor grimaced and stayed close by, "All right. Be careful Quin. There's no need for any heroics right now."

The Spring Knight waved it off with a small smile, "Not to worry man, I'll be fine. This looks like a shallow little stretch. What danger could there possibly be?"

His question was immediately answered as the ground gave way underneath him and Quinton dropped into a mud hole. The Spring Knight gave an alarmed cry as he suddenly found himself waist deep in an unstable pool of swampy muck. Everyone gasped in surprise as Quinton flailed for a few moments looking for a hand hold, but only found himself sinking faster. His fey armor also didn't help matters as it weighed him down even further. "Help! I'm stuck!"

Connor immediately dove to the ground at the edge of the mud and clasped hands with his friend trying to pull him free. "Hang on Quinton! I've got you! Just relax and don't move... this stuff looks like its quicksand or something."

The others rushed to the side of the mud pit in concern, hoping they could help somehow. Kristen gritted her teeth as she watched Connor desperately trying to pull Quinton free, but to no avail. Noelle turned her head and wore a fearful look through her visor, "Kristen! We have to help Quinton! Is there something we can do for him?"

The Druid tested the depth of the sinkhole trap with her staff and grimaced again, "Everyone... we have to move back now! The sinkhole is growing!"

"But what about Quinton? We can't leave him!" Noelle pleaded but Laura put a firm hand on her shoulder, "We won't, but if we don't move and get to safety, he won't have any rescuers left to save him."

The others reluctantly got up and began to withdraw back to a safe distance while Quinton looked on in dismay. Although he had ceased his struggling, he still continued to sink slowly and the mud began reaching the knight's chest. Connor growled and clenched his fists, "We have to do something for Quinton! I'm not going to let him die here like this!"

"I have an idea," Stephen said as he summoned his bow and turned to Kristen, "Kristen? I'm going to need some rope... or if you could conjure something like it."

The Druid nodded and used her magic to quickly call up a long rope made of strong vines. She handed it to Stephen and the Silver Knight tied the vine to the end of one of his arrows. He picked up his bow and aimed it near the sinking form of Quinton. "Quinton! I'm shooting you a lifeline! Grab the rope okay?"

"Oh, I'll do whatever you want right now!" the Spring Knight called back in a wavering voice.

He watched as Stephen shot the arrow high in the air and saw the projectile land in the mud nearby him. Quinton stretched and fumbled until he grabbed the arrow and began winding some of the vine rope around his wrists. On the other end, his friends grabbed the rope and began to pull together, using their combined strength to drag him free. After several long minutes of struggling, the knights finally succeeded in pulling Quinton free from the deadly sinkhole. Once free, the Spring Knight rolled over on the ground and gasped in relieved exhaustion. Between his panting, he choked out, "Wow... that was too close. Thanks everyone."

"Great work Stephen!" Connor grinned in relief as he gratefully clapped the Silver Knight on the back.

Everyone hurried over to help him and make sure he was unharmed. As Quinton sat up, his friends did their best to wipe all the mud and scum that had been caked on to his armor. Noelle gave a sigh to her friend and flicked some mud from her own gloves, "Quinton, as happy as I am that you're safe... you're completely filthy right now."

"Trust me, I feel especially gross from the waist down," Quinton sighed before Connor hauled him to his feet and Kristen pointed toward the other end of the briar thicket.

"Darkness is coming soon and we don't have a lot of time," Kristen said tiredly, "Best we save the pats on the back until we get out of here. We'll start by skirting around the edge of the marsh clearing."

Everyone else followed suit and drew their swords once they had made their way around the sinkhole traps. Without wasting any more time, the small adventuring party used their weapons to hack away at the deadly brambles in their path until they had cleared a way out of the thicket on the other side. By the time they got clear, the exhausted group slogged up a marshy embankment to slightly drier safer land just as night began to set in. Quinton gave a sigh as he and the others unsummoned their armor and dropped their traveling gear they had brought along, "Well... this is looks as good a place as any to camp out for the night."

Stephen and Kristen got busy making a campfire while Laura and Connor rationed out some dried food and water for everyone. Every so often, the group spotted the guiding light of the will o the wisp continuing to flicker in the distance, leading them to the next point in their journey, but for now, they had reached the limit of their endurance. Like even the greatest fey warriors, they needed to eat and sleep. As the darkness continued to fall over the swamp, the knights settled in and ate their meal quietly before huddling together around their modest campfire in hopes that they could get a little sleep. Amid the sounds of crickets chirping and bullfrogs giving their occasional croaks, Laura sat up taking the first watch with Kristen while the others lay down to sleep.

She glanced over near a tree and couldn't help but smile a little at the sight of Stephen sitting against the tree nodding off to sleep while keeping his bow secured in his hands in case of danger. Several feet away the original trio of friends put their bedrolls together and huddled with each other for safety and warmth. Noelle curled up next to Connor and drifted off to sleep while Quinton protected her from the other side and gave a sleepy yawn. Despite his fatigue, Connor whispered over to Quinton half jokingly, "Hey Quin... you know what this would be a perfect time for? How about I tell another ghost story, huh?"

"Don't you dare," Quinton sighed before reaching over to gently slap his roommate's head, "You remember what happened last time?"

"Hey man! What's wrong with you?" Connor chuckled, "You're going to wake up Noelle. Can't you see the poor girl is trying to sleep?"

Laura shook her head to herself listening to her friends have a petty squabble before falling silent and drifting off to sleep. From her spot across from her, Kristen placed another log on the fire, "Why don't you try to get some rest right now Laura. Things are quiet and I can manage."

The Winter Knight shook her head, "No... it's okay. I'll stay up a while. If something dangerous comes near, I'll be better equipped to fight it off first."

Her Druid mentor shrugged and shuffled some of the hot coals around to kick up the fire. "Suit yourself. I just can't wait to leave this cold wet muck... maybe get home and take a long hot shower too."

"I thought you Druids were all one with Nature and perfectly happy to commune with the great outdoors," Laura pointed out.

Kristen gave a wry smile, "Oh we are... but that doesn't mean we all have to live like complete savages either. I would think you'd feel the same way too."

"I do," Laura admitted sheepishly, "But in a strange way... all this doesn't bother me as much I think it would. At least I think it doesn't bother me like it did before... if that makes any sense."

Kristen smiled warmly, "I think you've just grown Laura. Being a knight and protector of Somerset Valley has really changed you over the course of a year, in a way that I think is for the better."

Laura smiled faintly to herself, "Yes... I suppose you're right. Thank you Kristen... I..."

She stopped and frowned as she noticed a strange fog bank begin to quickly roll in over the marshes. As it began to creep and gather along the grounds of their campsite, Laura sat up and looked around at the strange phenomenon, "This is kinda odd. What's going on here?"

Kristen blinked her eyes and shook her head as she felt her own mind becoming a bit muddled and clouded, "Sorry Laura... did you say something?"

The Winter Knight turned and saw the bright campfire begin to flicker and grow a little dimmer as the fog bank increased. It was the strangest sight and she struggled to remember what she was concerned about in the first place, "I uh... I don't know... I don't remember."

She staggered on her feet a few paces as she spied Kristen slapping her own cheeks and trying to reach for her Druid staff, "This place... isn't safe... _unhoda..._ "

Despite her best efforts, Kristen slumped forward and sunk tiredly to the ground, falling into a deep sleep. Laura shook her head trying to make sense of everything going on, but her mind felt jumbled and cluttered and her body began feeling even more weak and fatigued. The Knight fell to one knee and stubbornly used her ring to summon her rapier, but it was no good. The mind fog completely overtook her and the exhausted knight toppled over onto her side, joining her companions in an enchanted sleep. As her eyelids struggled to stay up and her vision blurred, Laura could almost make out the sight of some strange humanoid figures emerge from the swamp and approach their campsite. Moments later, the blissful oblivion of sleep overtook her and Laura's vision faded away into blackness.


	49. Solidarity

**Episode 25: Part 1  
**

Laura Gremory groaned softly and slowly began to crack open her bleary eyes. It was a strange feeling of disorientation as she tried to remember what had happened. She vaguely recalled standing near the campfire in the bogs before an odd mist rolled in and she collapsed to the ground... only she was no longer laying on the cold damp ground. As her vision began to clear, she found herself lying on her back on a soft bedroll with a warm blanket over her. The sounds of a crackling fire were heard nearby and she could smell the burning embers while the light and heat warmed her face. The Winter Knight tilted her head slightly to each side only to see the sleeping forms of Quinton and Noelle beside her. Even more strange, she wasn't outside anymore. Above her head was a wooden roof of some kind of log cabin. What was going on here?

Laura grunted softly and tried to sit up only to see Kristen walk over carrying a wooden bowl in her hands. Her Druid mentor put a gentle hand on her shoulder and steadied her while speaking quietly and soothingly, "Hey... easy does it Laura. Not so fast. You might get a little bit of a headrush still."

"Kristen? I... I don't understand. What's going on? Where are we?"

Kristen knelt down and handed her a warm bowl of what smelled like soup. It was a bit simple and looked to have some rice, chicken, and onion in it, "We've been taken into a small settlement of the Fir Bolgs, a old tribe of human hunters who live here in the marshlands."

Laura sat and blankly stared at the soup in front of her, "I still don't get it... what about that fog? Are the other knights okay?"

"Your friends will be fine. They will eventually wake up from the _Unohda_ , a powerful enchantment used to protect our lands," said an elderly woman who shuffled into the cabin. She had long gray hair that was a bit wild and messy but she had a kind weathered face and spoke with a gentle smile. She wore dark patterned robes reflecting some of the colors of autumn with orange and brown stripes. In a way, the cut of the robes were a bit like Kristen's green Druid robes but they were much more worn and faded. "They've had a long journey. Best we let the young ones sleep a little longer, don't you think?"

Kristen nodded and tilted her head slightly toward the woman, "Laura, this is Helena. She is one of the village elders and she's going to help us. We're going to be safe here."

The Winter Knight nodded again and handed her bowl of soup back, "If it's okay with you, I think I need to lie down a little longer. My head is still a little muddled right now."

"We'll talk more with everyone in the morning," Kristen nodded as Laura put her head back and drifted off to sleep beside her fellow knights.

The next day, the knights awoke in surprise upon finding themselves in a wooden cabin with their clothes dried and folded. While the comforting glow from the fireplace provided warmth and light, they could see the skies outside were overcast and that they were in some sort of marshland settlement. Every so often fellow humans in savage looking animal skin clothes or shabby robes would go by. Many carried primitive hunting implements and looked to be on the wild unkempt side. After being calmed by Kristen, the five friends sat up in their bedrolls listening as the village elder named Helena joined them and addressed the newcomers.

"I know you may have many questions, but know that you are safe among friends here. These swamps are a dangerous place and the Fir Bolg people of Blackmoor will not deny aid to our fellow Tuathan humans... or to the respected Druids of the Juniper Order."

Kristen gave a small nod of the head, "Thank you for your kindness Helena. We are truly grateful."

"I'm sorry," Connor said rubbing his eyes, "I'm just a little confused still. Who are the Fir Bolg and what exactly are we doing here?"

Helena sat back in her wooden chair, "The Fir Bolg were once a great tribe of hunters who had carved out a small base of power here in the Faerie Realm. However, the master of Autumn, the Erlking did not take kindly to us competing with the power of his own Huntsmen. Long ago, the Elves of Autumn made war against us and scattered our people to the winds. The strongest and hardiest of our tribes came to settle here in Blackmoor where we scratch out a meager existence now. We keep to ourselves and the Elves of Autumn are content to leave us alone in return."

"I'm so sorry Helena. That sounds awful," Noelle said apologetically.

"There is nothing to be sorry for child. That is simply the way of things. Nature dictates the strong will always survive and impose its will over the weak."

Laura nodded, "I can see where the philosophy of the Winter Court ties in here. Autumn was once a vassal state to Winter after all."

Helena shrugged before Laura continued, "What was that strange fog that knocked us out last night?"

Helena gave a rueful smile and folded her hands, "Ah, you must be referring to the _Unohda_. That is a little bit of spellcraft we picked up from the fey in order to protect us. The magic fog is quite harmless but tends to cause forgetfulness and exhaustion on living things that enter it."

Stephen nodded solemnly for a moment, "The way you're described everything, it sounds like living here has been a bit of a challenge. Between those dark brambles and natural hazards, it's a bit of a miracle you guys built a village in this place."

Helena rose from her seat and led them out of the warm cabin into the open air. "We are survivors young knight… we always have been. For you and your companions to make it this far... that says something about your will to live as well. Now it is my turn to ask. What are all of you doing out here in the badlands?"

The knights passed a shabby blacksmith's hut and looked around at the small swamp village. The Fir Bolg had indeed shown themselves to be ingenious and adaptable as many of their huts and walkways were built upon raised wooden platforms over the bogs. Other small lodges and shops had been constructed on firmer marshy banks but even they looked a bit crude and dilapidated. Several campfires burned nearby while some village women cooked food and hunters boiled strips of leather with the tanners.

"We came here looking for a treasure," Stephen answered as they walked through the village, "We had heard rumors of an enchanted tree in Blackmoor that bears extraordinary fruit."

Helena gave the knights a surprised look before frowning quietly, "If that is why you're here, then I'd caution you to turn back and preserve your lives. Few who have ever gone to retrieve the fruit from the Gallow Tree return to tell the tale. They say a terrible monster by the name of Hexus guards the treasure and slays anyone who dares to challenge it."

The young people gulped nervously while Kristen tried to maintain a straight face, "Can you still point us in the direction of the tree? It's important that we try because the fate of our own realm might depend on it later."

Helena grimaced, "I respect your order and your rank Master Bloom, but I cannot in good conscience show the way. I will not let more young people needlessly throw their lives away for some fleeting thrill or vain grab at glory."

"Maybe we'd stand a better chance," Noelle chimed in as she pointed to the Celtic ring on her finger, "We have powerful armor and weapons behind us."

Helena regarded her carefully, "Yes, it is a bit odd that a band of young humans would be wielding powerful faerie arms unless the situation was truly dire."

Connor clenched a determined fist, "Our own home town is under constant attack from the forces of Lord Balor and his Fomorian monsters. We're looking for a way to stop him and to bring peace to the quarrels of the Four Courts. Part of doing that lies in our finding that treasure."

Laura nodded and added to his point, "If you can help us in our mission, it will help to protect you too. Lord Balor means to invade the Faerie Realm and we intend to stop him from harming everyone… including the people here too."

Helena eyed the Winter Knight solemnly for a long moment, "The five of you have a lot of courage. I can sense that, but I'm still not certain if you're truly ready. Many a brave and brash warrior has gone out to challenge Hexus and has never returned. I am sorry. You may stay here and make camp, but I will not allow you to travel that pathway to the Gallow Tree. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few other matters to attend to in town."

The village elder excused herself, leaving the six travelers standing glumly in the center of the small swampy settlement. Quinton gave a sigh and looked up to the overcast skies before shivering from a cool breeze that began to blow, "Well… what now? Do we risk going back out there in the wild and chase our tails with the witchlights, or do we try something else?"

Kristen grimaced and tapped her staff on the ground in thought before walking back to their lodging, "Come on. If we're going to debate our next move, we might as well do it inside over a warm fire and some breakfast."

* * *

Meanwhile, a fair distance away, the Fomorian redcap Seamus waited as his scouts made their way back from the edges of the Fir Bolg settlement. He glanced back over into the marshy grounds behind him to see the rest of his company of spriggan troops biding their time. Despite being used to cruel and harsh conditions, the dark fey foot soldiers were tired, hungry and irritable. Seamus hoped that he could channel their aggression and ill feelings on a target soon before he'd have to start disciplining his own troops.

As he contemplated his next moves while watching the distant fires of the settlement, some reeds parted and two spriggan scouts emerged and bowed before him. They spoke in their harsh chattering tongue and stepped back while Seamus nodded in understanding. "I see… so the knights are there. No doubt they'll be enjoying the feeling of safety among their fellow humans and letting their guards down for now."

One of the spriggans chattered curiously and Seamus grinned again, "Simple. I intend to attack that settlement and burn it to the ground. We'll catch the knights by surprise and cause a little mayhem. Do you hear that men? We're going to move! There's a human village down there with plenty of loot that's ripe for the taking. Are you with me?"

The other spriggan soldiers turned and drew their weapons giving an excited chorus of growls and cheers. The redcap smiled and turned back toward the Fir Bolg village, "Those primitive Tuathans won't know what hit them."

* * *

"I can't believe this," Stephen huffed in mild frustration as he and his friends sat eating some of the dry rations that they had brought along for their trip, "Helena doesn't think we're worthy enough? Hell, we came this far already! What does she expect us to do? Slay a horrible monster first or something?"

He was interrupted as a loud commotion was heard from outside. The smell of burning wood began filling the air as people began to scream and the sounds of weapons and armor began to ring out loudly. As Kristen and the knights rushed out of their shelter, they were met by a horrible sight. Villagers fled in panic as the Fomorian troops marched into the settlement setting buildings to the torch and raiding Fir Bolg homes. While some spriggans emerged carrying valuables and supplies pilfered from the houses, others burst in with weapons trying to kill any and all who resisted them. The knights could only watch in horror as Seamus led the violent marauding party in their cruel assault, doing exactly what the Elves of Autumn had once done to these people here.

"I think we're about to get our chance," Quinton muttered darkly as he pointed to a small group of Fir Bolg hunters and warriors rushing out to confront the villains. A small hail of arrows from Fir Bolg huntsmen flew at the invaders and struck down several of the spriggans but it was nowhere near enough to deter the attackers. The spriggans pushed on and began locking into hand to hand combat with several of the settlement's defenders. Amid the flames of some burning huts, Seamus marched forward gripping the elder Helena by the arm.

He roughly dragged the woman over and clamped down causing her to cry out in pain, "Look around you old woman. Do you really think you and your pitiful hunters can stand against the might of Lord Balor? Now tell me what I want to know. Where are those knights? Where are you hiding them?"

"Right here trollface," Connor shouted as he and the other knights stepped forward to challenge the Fomorian marauders, "Why don't you leave these people alone and run away while you still can."

Seamus laughed and pushed Helena aside to the ground while he stepped forward to address his foes, "Not until you tell me what you're doing all the way out here boy. No one goes this deep into the wastes of the Faerie Realm without a death wish."

"We're not here to waste our time dealing with you Seamus. Why don't you go back to your miserable cave where you belong," Laura called with a harsh edge in her voice.

The redcap took on his monstrous troll visage and picked up a large stave of wood from a ruined house to use as a club, "I think not."

"Well… we warned him," Stephen sighed as he slipped on his archer's bracer. The other knights raised their rings and called upon their shimmering faerie armor in a colorful flash of light, " _Athru_!"

The Fir Bolg people stopped and stared in shock while Helena gaped in awe from the ground as the five majestic warriors drew their weapons and formed up together, "Five swords, one heart! Hibernian Knights, to arms!"

As they parted their blades in the air, Seamus snarled and waved all his soldiers forward, "Attack! Kill them all!"

Connor and Laura led the counterattack, battering aside the center of the incoming spriggan formation. As they ignited their blades with searing flames and chilling ice, they slashed aside their enemies and cut through the enemy ranks, trying to drive the Fomorians back with their own momentum. At their flanks, Noelle and Quinton used their speed and skill to hold their ground and keep the spriggans from encircling their allies. The Autumn knight roundhouse kicked an enemy into some crates and parried aside another with her curved sword before mowing down a line of them with a whirling slash backed by her Autumn Wind element. Nearby, Quinton threw aside a foe with an arm throw before using his sickle to stop the blow from another enemy. Before the spriggan could move his spear, the Spring Knight used his other sword to skewer the soldier through the throat and vaporize him with a burst of Spring Thunder that carried through and stunned an entire rank of troops behind him.

Meanwhile, Stephen bounded up some crates and a wheelbarrow to reach the rooftops of one of the rickety wooden houses. A few spriggans tried to follow him to his to his perch, but the Silver Knight hammered them down with his bow causing one to fall into a trough of fertilizer. From his vantage point, Stephen quickly drew back and fired several arrows, sniping down other spriggan archers or ones that were threatening his comrades.

As Stephen cleared aside one more squad of Fomorian troops with a Silver Starburst shot, Connor and Laura burst through and made a direct charge against the redcap. Seamus growled and took a wide swing at the two knights but the Summer and Winter Knights slashed together and halted the attack with their own blades. They grunted and pushed back, holding Seamus in place just long enough for Quinton and Noelle to sweep in and attack with their own charged strikes. The troll pushed Laura and Connor aside to raise his club just in time to block the new attack. As The Spring and Autumn Knights struck together, their concentrated energy shattered the club and sent Seamus reeling backwards in a violent cloud of wood splinters.

The redcap staggered backwards off balance allowing Stephen a clear shot to hit him with a direct full powered arrow from the rooftop. A silver arrow streaked through the air and blasted the troll backwards into the deeper swamp waters at the edge of the village. As she watched the knights beat back the enemy, Helena stared on the ground before she felt Kristen hurry over and help her up, "Helena, are you okay? Let's get you out of here."

The Druid and elder got clear just as Seamus shook off the last attack and began to rise up in the muddy pond scum.

"You're going to pay for that knights! Now I'm really angry!"

Connor hurried forward and drove his blade into the swampy water, channeling his Summer Fire into it. Before Seamus could react, the intense fire and heat spread through the swampy pond causing it to boil and scald the redcap. Seamus screamed and tripped as both of his feet were burned and he fell back into the scalding waters.

The Silver Knight drew another arrow just in case before turning to Noelle, "Noelle? Would you care to do the honors?"

Noelle waved her sword about several times building up a swirling vortex of wind before setting it loose on her enemy. The whirling tornado swept forward into the pond and picked up the redcap. From the safety of the marshy banks, the five knights watched as the tornado continued to blow by and sweep away the Fomorian general off into the woods, all while he continued to thrash and scream in fury.

"Nice work Noelle," Laura smirked as she put a congratulatory arm over her female comrade.

By now, the last of the spriggan raiding parties had withdrawn and the Fir Bolg villagers came out to surround their new heroes. Some of the commoners began to applaud while other hunters raised their weapons and gave a tired cheer. One of the older men of the settlement came over and admired Quinton and Stephen's armor and weapons, "Incredible... human warriors from the mortal world who have command over faerie weapons and armor. How can this be?"

As the grateful crowds began to chatter and grow around the bewildered knights, a path parted and Helena approached flanked by Kristen and several of the village's best hunters. The elder tapped her cane on the ground and the people fell silent as she addressed the young knights, "Knights of Somerset Valley... our village owes you a debt for saving us. You have our thanks."

"It was no trouble," Noelle replied modestly, "You had helped us in the marshes after all. Returning the favor was only the right thing to do."

"Except you've done us a favor ten times over young one," Helena said, "You risked your own lives for us and have proven yourselves to be warriors of great power. That is why I'd like to speak with you in my lodge right now."

The knights exchanged a confused look with each other before she cleared her throat, "You had expressed a desire to journey to the heart of Blackmoor... to see the Gallow Tree."

Quiet murmurs of surprise and concern arose from the Fir Bolg villagers but they were silenced by Helena, "If you've shown this level of heroic selflessness and martial prowess, then I have some confidence that you may in fact succeed in your quest there. If it will help you defeat Balor, then doing our part to secure peace will be in our village's interest too. Come now children. We have much to discuss."


	50. Forbidden Fruit

**Episode 25: Part 2  
**

The cawing of crows echoed across the overcast skies of Blackmoor Marshes as the knights rode along down a secluded trail while being escorted by a small party of Fir Bolg hunters. The six heroes had donned their armor again and sat mounted upon their steeds. They had decided to save some strength while following the directions of the village elder Helena. The old woman rode slowly at the head of the party atop a gray pony while two Fir Bolg warriors guarded her closely.

"We're almost there children," she called while bringing her horse to a slow halt. "If you keep going down this marshy path, it should lead you to the isle of the Gallow Tree. My warriors and I dare not come any closer than here."

"Thank you for everything Helena. We appreciate all the help," Kristen said gratefully while she rode with Connor on his horse. "You've done more than enough by helping us to get here."

The old sage nodded with a look of mixed amusement and wistfulness, "I still pray you don't visit that horrible place. Remember, the Gallow Tree is a plant of pure evil. Some say that it was the burial place of a terrible and legendary necromancer... one whose will and wrath was so strong that the Gallow Tree grew in its place as a perverse monument of his tomb. The fruit that it bears is said to be made of concentrated life force drawn from the tree's victims. And Hexus... perhaps it was an ancient pet of the necromancer or maybe a beast that was enslaved to the tree's vile will."

"Gee... that all sounds really pleasant," Laura muttered quietly, "It really makes fighting Balor and Morgana sound like a day at the carnival now."

Helena ignored Laura's comment and kept speaking with Kristen, "I wish you and your knights luck. I will pray for your safe return to our village..." sooner rather than later.

* * *

Once their Fir Bolg escorts had departed back down the path toward their village, the knights cantered their mounts forward. They didn't quite know what kinds of specific dangers to expect, but they had come this far. There was no turning back now. They followed the path for a while and eventually came to an opening in the marshes where a large swampy pond lay before them. Out in the middle of the pond was a large black tree which looked dead and barren save for a golden glowing apple that hung off one of its skeletal upper branches. The shimmering treasure all made them stop and take pause to admire the seemingly forbidden fruit. Noelle gave an excited smile, "That must be it! That's the golden fruit!"

"I can see why they called that thing the Gallow Tree," Stephen commented as they rode to the edge of the pond and dismissed their magical mounts, "It looks like something out of a horror movie... you know, except without a bunch of skulls and dead bodies hanging off it."

"Thanks for the positive mental image there," Quinton mumbled giving his comrade an elbow before Connor hardened his expression and raised his ring.

"Now's not the time. Let's keep a sharp eye out and not take any chances... let's suit up."

The knights called their weapons and armor before the Summer Knight pointed toward the tree.

"Well… here goes nothing," Connor said as he slowly began to wade forward. While the others cautiously advanced behind him, Stephen took his eyes away from the tree and instead scanned the murky waters around them. As he idly glanced about, he caught sight of a few odd bubbles rising up nearby and displaces some of the muck. He frowned and began walking a little closer to investigate when he saw the surface of the swamp water begin to shift as if something large was moving underneath. The Silver Knight froze and watched the direction of the moving water before abruptly sprinting out to pull Connor out of the way of impending danger. To the two young knights' horror, they witnessed a large monstrous form emerge from the pond scum.

As the swamp water sprayed and the algae and mud sloughed off, a serpentine creature with black colored scales reared up and spread its jagged leathery wings in a menacing warning.

"No way… is that Hexus?" Noelle asked in a meek wavering voice.

Quinton froze in horror and felt a shiver run down his spine, "Oh… sh-"

"It's a… dragon?" Laura cut in with equal dread while watching the creature fully emerge from its hiding place. Without waiting, Hexus let out a piercing cry of fury.

Kristen blinked in shock and shook her head to try and keep her wits about her, "No… it's a wyvern! They're lesser dragons but just as lethal."

Connor and Stephen fearfully retreated back toward their friends and regrouped but Kristen waved everyone away while raising her staff, "No! Spread out everyone!"

Before she could shout some more, the black wyvern reared back and belched a spray of liquid from its mouth which bounced off a hastily raised shield spell by the Druid. Everyone watched in terror as the dragon spit went wide and began to quickly burn away some of the ground and vegetation which stuck out of the water. Not to be outdone, the dragonlike monster gave a huff and snorted out a small cloud of sulphurous gas which blanketed the pond and caused the knights to helplessly choke and sputter.

"Faerie dragons have various kinds of breath weapons," Kristen shouted through coughs as their party spread out and moved to counterattack the new monster. "It looks like this one spits acid and poison gases."

Noelle used the elemental power of her ring to blow away some of the poison gas before turning to Laura, "What are we going to do? I'm not sure we'll have enough firepower to take that thing down."

The Winter Knight quickly surveyed the battlefield before turning to Connor, "She's right. We'll have to outmaneuver that beast. Noelle, Stephen, and I will keep that thing busy while you make a break for the tree!"

The Summer Knight nodded in agreement and drew his sword, "All right then. Quinton, it's up to you to grab that apple and run. I'll keep you safe as best as I can."

Quinton nodded and drew his sickle as the two split out wide to the right and began circling around to the right side of the pond. Meanwhile, Stephen drew back a shot and fired an arrow to distract the wyvern while Laura and Noelle readied their own attacks alongside Kristen. The Druid stayed in the rear rank and began casting a few protective charms over her young charges. Stephen's silver arrow glanced off the side of the armored reptile's skull and it turned with a murderous glare to home in on its next target. As it thrashed its wings and began to flail at the knights, they tumbled away from the sheer size and force of the serpentine creature. A spray of swamp water rained down in the air while the monster lashed out with its snapping teeth but Noelle rolled sideways and struck a glancing blow off the beast's flank. Unfortunately, its armored hide was too thick and she did little damage with the slash.

Meanwhile, Laura darted in from the other flank and sprung up on the beast's hindquarters punishing its left wing with a flurry of icy sword thrusts and cut cuts. As she found a more vulnerable spot, the small swamp dragon bucked violently and roared before flexing its wing. The move surprised Laura and threw her off but Stephen moved quickly and arrived just in time to catch her. As Stephen awkwardly fell backwards and the two tumbled end over end in an armored heap, Kristen stepped forward and brought her staff around calling up a powerful burst of air. The pocket of wind slammed into the monster's head, stunning it while Noelle stepped up to help guard Kristen, "Hang in there everyone! We hold the line here!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Connor and Quinton sprinted across the shallow pond to the island where the Gallow Tree lay. Hanging above on one of the higher branches was the golden shimmering apple that they had spotted from a distance. Connor leveled his sword and squared away before jogging closer, "All right. So far so good."

No sooner had he said that was when several dark roots burst from the ground and the sinister tree began to sway, using its other branches to flail like sinister whip-like arms. Quinton halted in momentary shock as Connor gasped and hacked apart a root that had threatened to snare him, "Ok... maybe not so good. Quinton!"

The Spring Knight snapped out of it and grabbed his sickle and sword charging forward toward the tree, "Right! The apple!"

As he charged forward, he saw the Summer Knight furiously slashing down the murderous roots of the tree while his other friends fought a desperate battle on the shore to distract the black wyvern Hexus. Right now all his friends were counting on him to be brave and get that apple. Like his friend Laura, he had come a long way on this journey... not only to the bogs but also in becoming a stronger person over the course of a year. Being a knight had made him more confident, decisive, and determined even in the face of a seemingly hopeless situation. Right now, as long as one of them succeeded in their objective, there was still hope. Quinton gave a shout and slashed through several branches of the tree before grabbing on to a thicker one and letting it pull him up as it thrashed backwards furiously.

The Spring Knight held tight as he was pulled up into the tree and placed within arms reach of the glowing golden fruit. Quinton rolled sideways and slashed away an attacking branch before reaching out and cutting the other tree limb holding the apple with his sickle. Before the fruit could fall, Quinton snatched it in midair and gave a triumphant grin, "I got it!"

His celebration was cut short as the tree shook again and knocked him off balance just enough for several other branches to curl around him and pin him with crushing force. Upon seeing his friend in danger, Connor redoubled his efforts and tried to hack his way closer though the offending roots, "Hang on Quin! I'm coming!"

Like his comrade, the Summer Knight was overwhelmed by a sudden surge of more roots that restrained his limbs and began to strangle him. As Connor fought desperately to break free, he could see the ground around him had been unearthed by the animated roots which now exposed the skeletons of numerous past victims that the tree had claimed and likely drained of their life energy. He wouldn't let himself become another one of those victims.

From the shore, Stephen could see the desperate situation unfolding near the Gallow Tree. He spared a moment to glance back at the battle against Hexus and saw it wasn't going much better. Laura and Noelle were fighting furiously to harry and slash the dragon monster while a tired looking Kristen stayed back performing Druid magic to relieve any minor injuries or exhaustion from the two female knights. The Silver Knight gritted his teeth and prepared an arrow before turning toward the island where the Gallow Tree was thrashing his other friends. Infusing the arrow with a bit of energy, Stephen aimed carefully and released a powerful bolt that split the air and struck the tree limbs that were constricting Quinton.

The Spring Knight gave a shocked gasp as he fell down from the tree and landed right on top of Connor and the roots that were choking him to death. The momentary force of the blow stunned both knights and caused the roots to let up their grip in order to recover from the shock. As he rose to his feet, Connor shook off his daze as Quinton helped him up and summoned his faerie steed, "I got the apple Connor! Let's get the hell out of here!"

"Right behind you buddy. I had enough of this tree anyway!" Connor growled as he ignited his blade and slashed apart several roots with one more swing before unleashing a fire cloud slash at the base of the Gallow Tree itself. As the freakish undead tree caught fire, it began to thrash in a wild violent manner, almost as if it were in pain. The two knights jumped upon Quinton's horse and dashed quickly back across the shallow pond to join in the battle with the wyvern.

Upon reaching the battle, the knights were halted again as the wyvern spewed a poisonous cloud of choking gas. While the six sputtered and coughed, Hexus lashed out violently with its tail and its wings, knocking everyone to the ground. Laura, Noelle,and Quinton were tossed aside roughly as they were bashed by a wing strike while Connor and Stephen shielded Kristen and took a swipe from the monster's tail. Both knights fell over gasping as they had the wind knocked out of their already depleted lungs.

Hexus stomped the ground and loomed over the downed heroes before giving a triumphant roar and taking to the skies with its wings. The wyvern beat the air a few times and reared back into position to finish off the stunned intruders with another acid spray. Quinton grunted and rolled over looking to Laura who was trying to resist too. "We're not dying here... not yet."

The Spring Knight gritted his teeth and channeled as much remaining elemental energy as he could through his ring before unleashing a tremendous bolt of Spring Thunder at the beast. The rolling lightning bolt engulfed the wyvern and caused it to scream while it hung transfixed in midair for a moment. As the blinding flash and thunderclap faded, Hexus dropped like a giant rock into the pond causing a huge spray of swamp water. Not wanting to waste an opportunity, Laura scrambled over and jabbed her rapier into the edge of the water, focusing as much Winter Ice as she could. In mere heartbeats, the entire pond was flash frozen into solid dirty ice.

Both Quinton and Laura slumped over as their armor faded away. While they had completely drained themselves in that fight, they had bought an opportunity to hold Hexus down long enough to escape. Battered, bruised, and weary, the other three hurried over and scooped up their friends along with Kristen on their summoned horses and made a hasty retreat from the heart of Blackmoor.

Connor reared his mount and secured Quinton before giving one last look to the frozen pond and the still burning Gallow Tree in the center island. It was truly a bizarre and surreal sight that one could only expect to see here in the Faerie Realm. "Come on guys. Let's get the hell out of here."

Noelle exchanged quick look with Kristen before giving a nod, "Helena and the Fir Bolgs will be expecting us. Let's not keep them waiting."

Stephen gripped the limp form of Laura and spurred his own mount into a gallop following his friends away from the unhallowed clearing. "And not a moment too soon."

* * *

Upon returning to the overjoyed Fir Bolg village, the knights took some time to let Quinton and Laura regain their strength while also celebrating the recovery of the golden apple. After crossing back over to the real world, Kristen and the knights returned to town to rest and recover after their recent frightful ordeal in the Faerie Realm. To their relief, the rain and storms had passed and mild gentle weather had returned to Somerset Valley.

They still had a week left before their next meeting with Lord Gwydion but the apple was left with Kristen for safekeeping and study. After taking another day to clean up and enjoy the comforts of hot meals and sleeping in soft warm beds, the knights slowly tried to acclimate themselves back to the routine and safety of college life at their dormitory. After dinner that particular evening, Connor walked up to the upper floors of the dorm and strolled out onto one of the building's balconies. From his vantage point, he could see out over part of the grassy quad and some of the nearby dorms and lecture halls situated nearby.

By now, the early evening sun had cast a warm orange-yellow hue to the skies while the last fleeting gasps of the summer season kept the air comfortably warm, but not overbearing. It was a beautiful evening, but the Summer Knight stood with a reticent look and almost an air of slight melancholy about him. It was strange really. In some ways, the Faerie Realm was an exaggeration of the real world. Against the breathtaking primal beauty of the land or the savage terrifying dangers there, the real world sometimes began to seem a bit dull by comparison. As he watched the dying light of day in the skies, Connor couldn't help but understand a little those stories of mortals who were never quite the same after spending some time on the other side... like Leanansihe.

His somber thoughts were interrupted as he heard the balcony doors open behind him and he glanced back for a moment only to see his girlfriend enter and approach the edge of the railing. Noelle gave her trademark smile, one that was gentle but cheerful, "Hey... what are you doing all the way up here?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking a little. I had a lot on my mind."

Noelle looked out over the quad and nodded calmly, "I can see. You've got an awful long face tonight too. That's kinda unusual for you, isn't it?"

Connor snorted and continued gazing out over the quad, "I just couldn't help but think that summer is almost gone... and so has the past year. A lot has happened and a lot of things changed."

"You make some of those changes sound like a bad thing," Noelle laughed quietly while putting a hand over his on the railing .

"Oh I didn't mean it like that," he said with a reassuring smile while squeezing her hand back.

Noelle fell quiet for a moment before making an observation, "You know, maybe it's like Helena was saying about nature. It's just the way of things. Seasons change, lives change, and so do we. All of us have grown a bit since finding our magic rings last year."

"About that... I can't help but wonder if events are going to be changing soon too," Connor grimaced slightly while looking out toward the setting sun, "Now that we have that golden apple, we're going to be visiting the Summer Court, and that's a big deal. I'm sure Balor and his Fomorians are up to something big and if the other Faerie Courts are becoming more active... well, we're going to be caught right in the middle of it all."

"Gee... maybe being a knight has changed you too. You've started becoming a lot more serious and thoughtful about things," Noelle teased gently, "I kinda like it."

He gently bumped her with his own shoulder and sighed causing her to laugh again, "Come on. Let's just enjoy being home for a little while longer. We can worry about Balor again tomorrow."

"Yeah, you're probably right Noelle... thanks," he said quietly, "Any ideas on how we should distract ourselves tonight?"

The Autumn Knight tapped her finger to her chin thoughtfully and shrugged, "Wanna back to your dorm room and make out for a while?"

"Wait... what?" Connor blinked in surprise, "You're just saying things to mess with me now, aren't you?"

Noelle laughed again and led him back inside, "Well it got your attention and helped get you off this balcony... so yeah. Stephen told me he and the others were going to the Student Union later for a game night at eight. What do you say?"

"All right. Sounds good... but that's not for another two hours yet," Connor frowned while looking at his watch.

The Autumn Knight gave a mischievous wink and pulled her boyfriend along back down the hallways of the dorm, "That's okay. I'm sure we'll manage to figure something out in the meantime."

"Ah, seems like I'm not the only one who's changed either," Connor laughed while putting a sly arm around her shoulders, "A Noelle who isn't so timid and demure anymore? I think I could get used to that too."

He was met with a playful jab to the ribs as Noelle smirked and led the way downstairs to the lobby, "And don't you forget it either."


	51. Honored Guests

**Episode 26: Part 1  
**

Eliza McConnel gave a sigh and halted the strumming of her guitar while the last notes of the bouncy Irish song she was playing faded off. She sat in a chair of one of the Student Union's reception halls and glanced upwards while the Hibernian Knights paused again from their dance practice session. She had been providing dance music while Kristen helped to teach the knights how to do some traditional Gaelic _ceilidh_ dancing in hopes it might impress the Summer Court during their upcoming meeting.

"Ouch! Quinton! You're killing me here!" Noelle groaned in annoyance toward her dance partner for the afternoon, "My toes can't take much more of a beating."

Quinton let go of her and gave an apologetic grimace, "Sorry Noelle. When it comes to dancing, I'm afraid I've always had two left feet."

Before the Autumn Knight could reply, Laura chimed in and gave her own dance partner a little nudge, "Don't feel bad Noelle. I've still got to deal with Fumbles McStupid over here so I feel your pain too."

"Hey!" Connor frowned while giving her a light poke in the side, "The feeling is mutual Goldilocks."

"What did you call me?"

From their own spot nearby, Stephen looked to Kristen in dismay and saw the Druid shake her head. She pinched the bridge of her nose in mild exasperation while Connor and Laura erupted into another one of their classic petty squabbles. As the two knights continued to bicker and call each other names, Kristen ignored them and turned to their musician, "Ok Eliza. Let's try something different. Could you play that melody again from the top?"

Eliza nodded and began to play while Kristen started to dance a simple jig by herself. The other knights paused and stopped their arguing to watch their mentor perform a few skillful turns, then skip about with a few graceful kicks and tapping motions of her shoe. When Eliza finished the short melody, the knights all clapped their hands as Kristen ended her own dance and flipped some of her loose hair aside in satisfaction, "Yep… I've still got it."

"Wow! That was really good Kristen!" Noelle exclaimed while the others nodded.

"I can teach you guys to do that if you're all done arguing like little kindergartners," the Druid said, "If pair dancing is still going to be a little difficult, we might as well learn some simple line dancing instead."

Stephen nodded his head thoughtfully, "You must have done Irish dancing for a long time huh?"

Kristen shrugged, "My parents taught me to do it along with my Druid training… to get in touch with my roots, they said. One thing I won't miss is doing is dancing at exhibitions and having my hair get all curled and frizzed out."

Connor took a moment to try and imagine Kristen with such a ridiculous hairstyle and suppressed a laugh which earned him a mild warning frown.

From her chair, Eliza drummed her fingers on her instrument, "I don't know guys… aren't you all really nervous? I mean, even if you learn to dance before then it still sounds like you're going to be meeting with some really big league figures among the Faerie people. That's some real pressure."

Quinton gave an optimistic smile, "Hey between Kristen's dance lessons and your help with the music, I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Agreed," Noelle nodded while giving Quinton a friendly elbow in the side, "And as long as you dance on the opposite end of the line from me too."

* * *

At the end of that week, the knights gathered together on Friday afternoon after classes to meet Kristen at the large central fountain in Ivy Lane Plaza. Each of the knights carried a travel bag with a change of clothes along with an apprehensive look on their face. Their mentor got up from the park bench where she was waiting and took a look to the golden autumn sun which began to hang low in the orange skies, "Is everyone ready? It's almost time."

Stephen took a deep breath and straightened his collared shirt out, "Oh I don't know... it's not like we're going to be meeting some of the most powerful beings in another plane of reality or anything. Yeah, we're cool."

Quinton turned to Kristen, "Do you have the apple?"

The Druid nodded and patted her travel bag, "Safe and sound. We're not going to be visiting the Summer Court empty handed."

"I'm glad to hear that," came Gwydion's voice as he appeared out of seemingly nowhere. No doubt the high Elf of the Summer realm had used the light of the sun somehow, but that magic was beyond any of their comprehension. He gave the six a small nod and a smile, "I'm pleased to hear you were successful in your quest."

"Even though we all came within an inch of losing our lives," Laura muttered quietly to Noelle.

"We're here to answer the invitation of the Summer Court as agreed," Connor said firmly as he stepped forward to greet the fey noble.

"And so you will," Gwydion replied as he made an arcane gesture to the sky, "If all of you are prepared, we'll let the light of your sun take us back into the Faerie Realm... to my home in the land of Summer."

Had there been any casual observers walking by the fountain in Ivy Lane, the glare of the setting sun increased for the slightest instant before the seven people standing there vanished into thin air. While no other citizen or college student of the town had been present, the anomaly was not lost on a more covert observer perched high in a nearby tree. The large black crow sitting there gave a restless caw before flapping its wings and taking off into the early evening skies.

Meanwhile, the redcap Seamus Killarny stood watching the fading sunlight from a rocky outcropping at the edge of Somerset Valley. After having been badly trounced in the Balckmoor Marshes of Autumn, the Fomorian general had retreated to that little cliff hideout to plot his next move. Lord Balor had tasked him with delaying the knights and meddling in their business while the warlord gathered the rest of the Fomorian army together for an all out attack later. As he waited for his informant to come, the redcap glanced down and flexed his forearm. The traitorous witch Leanansidhe had sliced his arm off in a prior battle but due to his supernatural trait of being a troll-like fey creature, he had managed to fully regrow it in time. Still, the insult was not forgotten and he swore vengeance if he ever saw that faerie witch again.

His dark thoughts were immediately interrupted though as a black crow flew up the rocky slopes of the valley's edge and landed on the redcap's waiting shoulder. As the crow folded its wings, it leaned over and began to chatter into Seamus's ear and he listened carefully. "Ah... I see. So it sounds like the knights have set out for the realm of Summer? And with Lord Gwydion of all people... I wonder if it's some sort of diplomatic meeting."

The crow squawked and bobbed restlessly on the redcap's shoulder before he nodded, "Quiet down you! I am going to do something about it, but I'm going to need a little help."

Seamus gave a thoughtful look inside the caves before giving a snap of his fingers, "Leucifia! I need your services!"

He waited for a long moment before a Fomorian emerged from the caves and gave him a sly smile. She was a lovely female creature with skin made of wood and flowers trailing down her long hair. Despite her beauty she had sharp features and the green outfit she wore had been created from the leaves of the poison ivy plant. "What is it you require general?"

Seamus gave a devilish grin to the evil hamadryad before him, "I have a task for you my dear and I'd like you to go on a little business trip for me."

* * *

Upon crossing back over to the Faerie Realm, the knights found themselves in Solas, the capital city of the Summer Court. Beautiful crystal spires rose into the air as verdant trees and flowers lined the walkways. Beautiful Elven citizens went about on the immaculately paved streets with their daily chores while here and there, red and gold clad guards patrolled the corners. Up above, the skies were clear and bright and the air was comfortably warm and balmy. As a gentle summer breeze rippled by, everyone's noses were tickled by the faint sweet perfume of exotic flowers.

"Wow..." Stephen said as they glanced around the public park Gwydion had taken them to, "This place is beautiful!"

Lord Gwydion gave a mildly amused smile and gestured toward a large castle built on a hill overlooking the city proper. It was a magnificent palace with white marble walls and carefully trimmed ivy growing down the sides. Crystal spires lined the palace grounds while even from a distance, the signs of greenery and gardens could be spotted within. Atop the spires and towers was golden lining which reflected back the warm light of the sun while red flags and pennons fluttered majestically in the breeze. "I'm sure you can see that many of us here have a lot worthy fighting for too. That is why we are so serious about defending ourselves from the likes of Lord Balor or even our old enemies of the Winter Court. Come, I will take you to the palace where you will rest tonight. Tomorrow, we meet with the King and Queen."

"Wait... you mean we get to stay in a real life castle tonight?" Noelle gasped in excitement, "How cool is that?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself Noelle," Kristen said as they walked along, "Technically, we're here on matters of state. That means we have to be very careful, both in our words and our actions."

"Because we don't want to cause any diplomatic issues?" Laura asked in concern.

Kristen replied with a wry smile, "That, and because the rest of the fey nobility will no doubt have their own agendas. You can never be too certain who to trust in the game of faerie politics."

Gwydion chuckled in amusement, "A wise observation Miss Bloom. Until the meeting with the royals tomorrow, it's best that you stay close to me."

Without anything further to add, Connor and Quinton exchanged a look and shrugged before following along with the rest of the group, wondering what the next day would bring.

After enjoying a lavish feast and the comforts of palace guest rooms for the evening, the six companions met again with Lord Gwydion in one of the castle's magnificent foyers the next morning. Despite having to share three people to a room, the guest chambers had been large and everyone was well rested. In anticipation for their meeting with the Summer Court royals, the knights wore some dressier clothes to make a good impression. Along with nice slacks, the boys wore dress shirts with color coded ties while the girls wore business casual skirts and colored blouses. The only exception to this was Kristen who had donned her green Druid robes which would help her be more easily recognized as an official diplomat to the fey courts.

As the six met with Gwydion, they took a moment to admire the palace foyer. Ornate pillars lined the path while colorful flower baskets hung in between them. The playful sounds of chirping birds echoed through the open air palace while bright sunlight streamed in from the windows. While they strolled outside to the gardens, Gwydion gave a curious look toward them, "I trust you were all comfortable and slept well?"

"Indeed," Laura sighed with a content smile, "It was definitely a step up from the normal accommodation of a college dorm room."

Quinton gave a sheepish shrug to Gwydion, "Back in the mortal world, Lady Laura here comes from a sort of noble family herself... a fellow aristocrat to you."

Gwydion nodded and continued leading them through a vast immaculately manicured garden. Tall green hedgerows wound around bearing colorful flowers and exotic fruits while small beautiful fountains and waterways that had been incorporated into the landscaping babbled quietly. As they neared the heart of the garden and presumably the place where the Summer royals were holding court, several pedestals lined the way with white marble statues. Surprisingly, the statues were all of human males and females and each figure was remarkably beautiful. Connor stopped and examined some of the statues, getting the same odd feeling from the time the knights had dealt with an evil fey sculptor in Winter. "These statues..."

"Are all humans, yes..." Gwydion said matter of factly as he walked up beside him, "In fact, they still are."

"What do you mean by that?" Connor asked in confusion.

Gwydion sighed, "These are people who had caught the eye of the Summer Court. We have a deep appreciation and admiration for beautiful things. The King and Queen offered these lovely talented people immortality... a chance to be beautiful forever, and so they have been granted it."

"They turned these people into statues?" Noelle gasped in horror, "I can't believe that! I thought the Summer Court was supposed to be friendlier towards us mortals."

Kristen put a gentle hand on her shoulder to settle her down, "They are... in a way, but it would be a mistake to assume that the Summer fey aren't as dangerous or deceitful as the other courts."

Gwydion nodded sagely, "The Druid is correct. Many of us are often more sympathetic toward you humans and willing to deal with you in good faith, but there are still many others who look down upon your kind and see you as playthings or simpletons who can be exploited for our own gain. Summer Court courtiers have a bit of a reputation for speaking to you with warmth and courtesy before stabbing you in the back later."

"Sounds an awful lot like how the popular and pretty kid cliques worked in high school," Stephen growled darkly to himself, remembering a lot of the crap he had gone through growing up.

As Gwydion led them on, Connor couldn't help but frown one more time and feel sympathy for those people who had been turned to stone forever. As he was technically a knight of the Summer Court, his own patrons allowing such a "benevolent" curse did not sit well with him or his sense of justice.

Upon passing the last inner garden gates, the knights began to hear beautiful music filling the air. The light airy sounds of stringed instruments and woodwinds grew louder as they approached a crowd of courtiers and important looking Elves. From their vantage point, the visitors stared in awe upon seeing that the lovely orchestral music was being played by a group of exhausted looking human musicians. Aside from the fear of imagining their friend Eliza being here, the knights could only wonder if these poor people were imprisoned guests of the Summer Court as well.

The songs eventually came to an end and as the last of the notes drifted away on the breeze, a few of the musicians collapsed to the ground, whether they were dead or simply unconscious, it was difficult to tell. Despite that, the Elven noblemen and women gave polite applause and turned with curiosity toward their new guests. Immediately, the beautiful and well dressed Elves cleared the way and formed a path in the garden throne room where two majestic figures sat at the head of it all. The Elven King and Queen of Summer sat calmly upon their thrones presiding over the reception and then turned to observe their new human guests. Lord Gwydion led them slowly forward among the courtiers and stopped at a respectful distance before the monarchs. He gave a long low bow of respect as a handful of soldiers in the royal guard stepped forward to take their posts.

The beautiful and youthful looking monarchs were dressed in fine red and gold silks while radiant gold crowns sat upon their heads. The Summer King Oberon was a handsome male of strong and solid build with blazing red hair. He wore a magnificent sword at his side and regarded the humans with a strong but silent expression that was inscrutable to all. Beside him, his wife Queen Titania was a beautiful woman with long honey colored hair and flowers adorning her crown. She wore a more gentle but discerning look in her eyes and tilted her head slightly, "Lord Gwydion. I see you've returned with the mortal guests."

"Yes Majesty..." Gwydion replied introducing the knights, "I have brought with me the mortal guardians of Somerset Valley, the new young people who have laid claim to the powers of the old Tuathan Knights, and those who I hope will be allies to our cause."

The lord of Summer stepped aside as the nervous knights stepped forward and gave a respectful bow. The Summer Court fell silent as all eyes turned on them and waited to see what would happen next.

Titania studied them a moment before glancing over to Kristen, "I've heard some stories of these new warriors, but I was not aware that they were allied to the Druid Orders as well. You are?"

"Kristen Bloom... Your Majesty," the Druid replied in a slightly nervous voice while she bowed and curtsied again, "I am a Sister of the Juniper Order and a trusted advisor to these young heroes."

King Oberon studied her carefully before looking to the knights, "Which one of you holds the ring with the power of our court?"

Connor timidly stepped forward and bowed his head, "I... I do Majesty. I am Sir Connor Walsh of Somerset Valley."

Oberon gave a satisfied nod seeing that the ring had gone to a handsome young man with an equally strong build, "Then we welcome you and your companions to our court Sir Walsh. As we have extended our hospitality to you, can we assume that you six have an offering to repay the gesture?"

Connor nodded as Kristen handed him the apple, "We do King Oberon. I present to you a golden life apple taken from the Gallow Tree of Blackmoor Marsh in Autumn."

An impressed murmur went through the rest of the court as Connor handed the apple to one of the royal guards who then gave it to the king and queen. Titania smiled brightly as she examined the treasure, "Fruit that was created from pure life force? A truly unique treasure... and one taken from the allies of our Winter foes as well. We are surprised Sir Knight... and very impressed."

More chatter swirled about the nobles and courtiers, some of it praise, while others expressed disbelief or outright jealous scorn of the knights' feat.

"I see that we weren't wrong to place a degree of trust in you or Lord Gwydion who advocated for your audience here," Titania said thoughtfully. "If you were able to accomplish such a feat, then the five of you knights do have adequate strength and skill to be valuable allies to us. That is why we summoned you."

Oberon raised a careful hand, "Of course, we can't be too careful either. The ones who bear the rings of Winter and Autumn?"

Laura and Noelle timidly stepped forward and bowed before Quinton answered for them while respectfully showing the green glow of his ring marking him as the Spring Knight, "They are good friends and allies, Highness. Sir Walsh and I trust them with our lives."

Oberon nodded, "Very well Spring Knight. Now, we will have much to discuss. Balor and his Fomorian warriors are on the move and the courts of Faerie are preparing to respond. One way or another, this battle will involve the five of you knights as the stability of our two worlds will hang in the balance."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **To answer the Guest reader question from last chapter, there will be a power-up which I'll introduce in the next chapter.**


	52. Faerie Chess

**Episode 26: Part 2  
**

the King and Queen of the Summer Court eyed their new human visitors carefully and studied them. It wasn't often humans were ever deemed worthy enough for an audience with the rulers so this was a very unique and momentous occasion. Kristen gripped her staff firmly, "Highness, you had mentioned that the threat of Balor is growing and that you were interested in negotiating some kind of separate peace with us?"

"That is correct Druid," Oberon said, "We are looking to see that your knights have grown in strength so that they may be better able to resist a large scale Fomorian assault. It's possible that they will have to be able to hold their own in case the monsters fully breach the veil to the human world."

"Wait... if we were to ally with each other, wouldn't the soldiers of Summer be able to come and help us?" Noelle asked curiously.

Titania laughed lightly, "No my dear girl. No Summer Fey soldiers are ready and willing to die for Earth just yet. We have other pressing military deployments to consider."

"Such as?" Kristen prompted.

"You see... the Sidhe of Winter are testing our borders," Oberon explained, "At the moment, our realm is mustering an army and our Spring allies have pledged to stand beside us with their own forces. The only problem becomes... how to do we commit a force strong enough to check Balor without letting our guards down against Winter too?"

Laura bit her lip in thought for a moment before stepping forward, "You Majesty... if I may, perhaps we can work on securing some sort of temporary treaty or alliance against Balor. Surely the Winter Court would be worried about Balor too and they must be asking themselves the same questions."

"Your intentions are admirable," Queen Titania said, "But they are also naive. The conflict between Summer and Winter has been fought since the dawn of our people. The wars whether direct or indirect will not change and we highly doubt they ever will."

"But the Four Courts have joined together once before... to oppose Lord Balor," Connor said while speaking up and raising his ring, "Otherwise these rings would not have been forged. Parts of your realms' powers would not be placed in these rings, and the humans who carried out the battle for you would not have been able to succeed. Kind Oberon... Queen Titania... my original four friends here are as different as can be but we've come together to protect each other and uphold the greater good. If we are your human representatives in our world, then surely the Four Courts of Faerie can do the same."

Stephen stepped forward and bowed his head slightly, "He's right Your Majesties. The Court of Stars has been working as a sort of forum to hash out differences between the four factions. There are many Elven lords and leaders who desire some sort of accord against Balor. If not, they would not have granted me my powers either. Lord Gwydion of Summer and Lord Sigurd of Winter may be adversaries, but they both believe in this cause. My fellow knights and I are begging you to consider our words and to believe in this cause too."

He stepped back and exchanged a nod with Connor and Laura before they waited for a reply from the monarchs. The rulers of Summer sat quietly for a long moment before they reached out and took each other's hands from where they sat. They rose together and Oberon replied, "We will call a recess and consider your words mortals. The things you said to us have merit, but how practical they will be is yet to be determined."

"Until then, the Court of Summer will stand alongside your efforts in the battlefield to vanquish Balor," Titania said, "To that end, we will grant you a boon as a show of our goodwill. Now... call your armor."

The five friends looked to each other in momentary confusion before summoning their weapons and armor in a colored flash. Titania produced the golden life apple from the Gallow Tree and raised it up before transfiguring it and turning it into swirling ribbons of golden magic. With a gesture from the queen, the ribbons of energy zipped toward the knights and encased them in a brilliant light. Kristen stepped back and shielded her eyes for a moment before she gasped in surprise at the new transformation. Standing before her were five magnificent warriors in even more ornate and impressive looking armor. The lines were all sleeker though the overall design of the Elven armor looked to be a little more antiquated and adorned with twinkling lights. Intricate Celtic engravings adorned their armor plating and a gentle colored aura radiated from each of them.

"Behold your new Sidhe armor," Titania said calmly while gesturing with her hands, "It will grant you greater speed, agility, and strength. You may call upon it any time, though you must be aware it will not last forever. Like the life forces of the apple who were used to make this armor, the power is finite and will eventually wear away until you summon it again. Life is fleeting, as is this power. Use it well and when you do, use it to its fullest potential."

"Wow! Awesome! Look at this," Quinton said in awe while admiring the way his armor and weapons had become even more stylized and ornamented.

"I can't wait to try this thing out," Noelle added as she stopped to admire her own suit of special armor before dispelling it again with the others.

Kristen gave a modest bow toward the two monarchs, "My King... My Queen... I thank you for the gift. If you need more time to think on our words, the six of us would be willing to wait as long as it takes."

Oberon nodded, "Very well. Our Court will have more meetings to conduct on the matter. Until then, you are free to stay here in the palace as our guests."

With that, the monarchs began to depart the throne while the royal guards began ushering everyone out. Once they reached the reception garden, the group couldn't help but marvel at tasteful and aesthetically pleasing decor and offerings. As they regrouped, they were approached by a lesser servant Elf carrying a large plate of food. The servant gave a bow and stepped back by the entrance gate to the garden, "Please… stay as long as you'd like and make yourselves comfortable."

"Uh… thanks," Connor replied as he and the others ambled back into the garden courtyard lined by pillars and hedgerows. Of the Elven courtiers who didn't depart or retire to other chambers, they milled about enjoying the sun and partaking in some food and refreshments that were served. In all respects, it was like being at an uppity medieval garden party.

"Huh… I guess that went well enough," Laura sighed as she looked over and caught sight of two Elven nobles standing near a small fountain. They were a young beautiful couple with brunette features and wearing fine green colored clothes. As they drank from wine goblets, the two talked quietly and kept their eyes on the human visitors. "Kristen? I think we're being watched."

The Druid tilted her head slightly and turned back to the knights, "That is the Lord and Lady of the Spring Court. I've heard that they're already in favor of working together with the Summer Court against Balor. If we made a good impression just now, I'd imagine they'd be willing to ally with us too. Some members of my order have told me that the Spring fey have become more accepting of the idea of dealing with humans more. At that, Quinton couldn't help but think of the little gnome who he had befriended last year. No doubt she put in a good word for the humans as well. "Well… maybe we should go talk to them. I could…"

He was cut off as a few panicked cries rang out and serving plate was dropped. Everyone turned in the direction of the commotion only to see a female faerie creature dressed in poison ivy with wooden skin and long flower covered hair. Beside her were two servers who changed shape and immediately dispelled a fey glamour spell to reveal themselves as dark skinned Elven assassins. Before they could react, the Lord and Lady of Spring gasped as the assassins sprung and drove daggers into the sides of the two nobles.

"What the hell?" Noelle gasped as she saw the Lord and Lady of Spring fall to the ground before the evil Hamadryad. As they lay amid a small growing puddle of blood from their stab wounds, two more dark fey warriors appeared right behind the Spring nobles' bodyguards and cut their throats from behind, causing them to collapse.

The Hamadryad gave a delighted laugh and snapped her fingers as several more assassins emerged from seemingly innocuous hiding places in the garden. She glanced back over to the gateway of the garden where an apparent servant of the Summer Court stood. "You know what to do darling."

The servant dropped the tray of food and ran off shouting loudly, "Treachery! Assassins! The human knights are assassins! Help!"

The knights gawked in surprise at everything unfolding before them before Kristen gripped her staff angrily, "You! Who are you? What are you doing? You're going to ruin the negotiations!"

The dryad gave a sinister smile and reclined by the fountain where the nobles of Spring were slowly bleeding out, "Of course. We can't have the Courts of Faerie unify again. I, Leucifia have a duty to prevent that."

"You're setting us up!" Laura shouted angrily, "Whose side are you on?"

Leucifia shrugged and gestured to her band of assassins, "That won't matter. If you won't be my scapegoats, I'll just have to kill you too."

Connor turned to Kristen as the evil fey warriors attacked, "Kristen, go save the Spring nobles! We'll take care of these guys!"

The five knights raised their rings in unison and called upon their powers for battle, " _Athru_!"

No sooner had they drawn their weapons, the assassins were upon them and a vicious melee erupted in the royal garden. Amid the storm of steel and clash of faerie weapons, Kristen charged forward, ducking and dodging her way through to the other side of the field where the nobles lay dying. A silver arrow sliced through the air nearby and knocked an assassin back over a bench while Noelle's whirling sword flew by and disarmed another assassin.

As Kristen made it and knelt down beside the nobles, she felt the buildup of static electricity in the air from Quinton while Connor and Laura took on the other assassins in direct combat. From her seat at the fountain, the treacherous dryad Leucifia reclined and lazily smiled, "Better hurry Druid. You're running out of time. You can either try to capture me, or save the Elves. Your choice."

Kristen gritted her teeth before turning to the two dying victims. It was going to be quick and dirty, but she opted for a handy healing spell Druids often used to staunch bad wounds. She poured some water from a hip flack on the ground and scooped up some mud. She grabbed some large laves nearby and plastered the bleeding sides of the Spring nobles before speaking the words of a Celtic incantation. A warm green glow engulfed the mud and leaves as they became soothing vital energy and sealed the knife wounds. The victims had lost a lot of blood and were still hurt, but the spell would stabilize them at the very least.

"Bravo Druid," the dryad laughed as she got up and opened up an escape portal, "That was fun, but it's time I be off!"

Amid the chaos, Connor brought his blade around and struck down the last of the warriors with a fatal blow. The dead fey assassin slumped over and collapsed to the ground as Laura gave an alarmed cry and pointed her rapier toward the escaping form of the Hamadryad assassin Leuficia. "Hey! She's getting away!"

The knights regrouped from their own battles with the assassins while Stephen took a half aimed shot at the last fleeing enemy. The dryad jumped in the portal just in time as the arrow whizzed by and struck one of the marble pillars decorating the garden. Before the portal could close, everyone stopped as the gate fluctuated and widened again slightly. Nearby, Kristen knelt over the bodies of the Spring nobles and aimed her staff toward the portal. She gritted her teeth while exerting some magical effort of her own and she called out, "The portal! Go after that assassin!"

"We don't even know where that leads!" Noelle called back in worry as Stephen nodded in agreement.

"What about the nobles of Spring? We can't leave them!"

Kristen shook her head and struggled to maintain focus on holding the portal open, "I've stabilized them for the time being! Now go!"

At that moment, a band of heavily armed Summer soldiers and royal guardsmen burst into the garden and stopped at the sight of battle along with the assassins' bodies littering the bloodstained ground. The captain of the soldiers drew his sword and shouted in outrage, "Halt! What is going on here?"

The Druid gasped again and desperately shouted to her knights, "There's no more time! I'll take care of things here! Go!"

The five young people gave reluctant nods before blindly leaping into the portal and leaving their mentor to fend for herself in the Summer realm.

* * *

As the portal space closed behind them, the five felt themselves churned and jostled about like they were articles of clothing in a washing machine. After being blinded and disoriented by the light of the now unstable portal, the five knights emerged on the other end and were thrown face-first into an icy snowbank.

Unlike the warmth and temperate nature of the Summer Realm, the knights now found themselves surrounded by white snow and ice while a cold wind howled around them. Had they not been protected by the magical warding of their faerie armor, they would have been dangerously exposed to the vicious elements outside. Despite the clear skies and the bright sun above, the landscape around them was a frigid snowy wasteland.

"What is all this? Was that assassin a Winter agent?" Connor asked aloud as he examined their surroundings. At the moment, he and his friends were situated on a high hilltop overlooking the frosty plains. In the distance looked to be the tall spires and buildings of a city… or at least some kind of civilization. If he had to guess, it was probably a good ten miles away from their vantage point.

Noelle rubbed her hands together and blew into them to stay warm, "That dyad didn't look like a Winter fey. Maybe it was a Fomorian?"

Laura seemed to spot the city as well and pointed out toward the horizon, "We can debate that later. Right now we should probably try to find some shelter and safety. Who knows what will happen if we stay out here out in the open?"

"Agreed," Stephen nodded while gesturing to the snow ahead of them, "It looks like whoever we're after is headed in the same direction. These tracks look pretty fresh."

"Awesome Stephen! Do you think you can track them?" Quinton asked hopefully.

The Silver Knight shrugged, "As long as it stays toward that distant city, I can try. I just hope the weather and winds hold up."

Connor drew his sword and ignited it to provide some ambient warmth for his companions, "All right. Lead the way Stephen. If we've really stumbled all the way over into Winter, then we're deferring to Laura if we run into any locals."

Finding themselves all in agreement, the five friends set off down the hill and across the icy tundra, hoping that the tracks they followed would lead to some kind of shelter, and the answers they sought.

* * *

After about an hour or two of slogging through the thick snow fields, the knights kept pushing forward, trying to keep their spirits up and not thinking that they were alone again in Faerie without Kristen's guidance. The thought of finding the would-be assassin and getting to the bottom of the apparent Fomorian plot would be the thing they would focus on while they pressed on. They eventually traversed what looked to be a frozen river and continued on over the icy plains until they came upon an unusual sight.

In the near distance, they spotted several wolves with brilliant white fur. Unlike normal tundra wolves, these were extremely large and vicious looking. To the knight's surprise, they saw that the wolves had surrounded what looked to be the whelp of the pack. The smallest wolf appeared to be injured and stood its ground, growling and snapping at the others who encircled it.

"What's going on here?" Quinton mused curiously.

Laura warily eyed the wolves as they tried to keep a safe distance and pass, "If I had to guess… survival of the fittest. That runt is injured and slowing the pack down. If they're hungry enough, they might be trying to kill him and eat him."

Noelle frowned, "No! That's not right! I refuse to believe that. Wolves stick together as a pack… like us. Real wolves would never do that sort of thing to their own kind in the wild."

"This is the Faerie Realm Noelle," Laura reminded her, "Things are different here. I hate to say it, but if that smaller wolf is already weak, the others might be doing it and the rest of the pack a favor."

As they began to pass, all the large wolves stopped and turned see the traveling knights cross into their territory. Ever so slowly, the wolves broke formation and ignored the wolf runt in favor of the new prey. Stephen summoned his bow and warily nocked an arrow, "Shit! I think they spotted us."

Connor grimaced and tried to rally everyone, "Let's keep trying to move away from them. Maybe if we keep our distance, they'll leave us alone."

Unfortunately, the wolves continued to shadow the knights and spread out to encircle their new targets. Unlike the clumsy humans hindered by snow and armor, the wolves moved swiftly and easily through the frost.

"Okay… any more bright ideas?" Laura muttered in dread as she drew her rapier.

The Summer Knight watched the wolves draw even closer, "Yeah… let's host a doggie obedience school today."

The knights all drew their weapons and formed a defensive formation to meet the wolfpack before the lead canine gave a baying howl and charged.

Stephen let loose with an arrow which struck the lead wolf and caused it to skid off to the side while the next two made bounding leaps toward the other boys. Connor grunted as the abnormally large wolf slammed into him like a freight train and knocked him over into the snow. As they fell over in a tangled heap, the wolf snapped and barked until the knight raised his red hot blade. The wolf bit down on the steel and gave a yelp before it recoiled. Connor kicked the wolf off and swept his sword around in a backhanded slash which partially penetrated the beast's thick hide and wounded it in the flank. As that wolf backed down, the other flew by Quinton as the Spring Knight dodged it.

Quinton slashed both his weapons and kept his enemy at bay before the beast struck low and tried to clamp down on his shin. Quinton gasped in surprise as he was tripped but his armor protected him from the wolf's teeth and allowed him just enough time to slash the beast across the face with his sickle.

The wolf gave a yelp and retreated back while the remaining wolves tried to pounce on the others. Stephen batted aside a beast with his bow before using it to shoot another one in the ankle. That wolf which had been threatening Noelle stumbled and limped off while Noelle turned and gave an appreciative nod to Stephen. Without wasting another moment, the Autumn Knight raised her sword to block the bite of another wolf before she channeled the power of her ring into a burst of air. The pocket of concentrated wind threw back the wolf several yards and left it lying stunned in the snow. Despite the circumstances, she still grimaced apologetically toward the hurt animal, "I'm sorry."

Nearby, Laura fended off two wolves with her rapier. Using her agility and dexterity, she warded off the alpha wolf and another pack wolf while dancing around their swipes at her. She had tried scaring them off with elemental ice, but their thick fur coats resisted her magic. Instead, she opted to do things the old fashioned way. As the pack wolf lunged again, Laura slipped sideways and rolled off its side before meeting the follow up bite of the alpha.

As the Alpha struck, Laura raised her ring and focused a small shield of concentrated ice energy to ward off the attack. While the alpha's teeth glanced off the shield, the Winter Knight turned her rapier upwards and thrust it straight up under the chin of the beast. The vicious wolf tried to howl and snap, but it gasped and gurgled as Laura followed its momentum to drive it to the ground and sever its windpipe. The wolf thrashed a few times amid the puddle of blood in the snow before it went limp.

Laura exhaled and slowly withdrew her blade before looking to the other wolf, the new leader of the pack. Upon seeing its old leader dead in the snow, the wolf gave a low mumble and withdrew, leading the others wolves in an orderly retreat. As Laura stopped to clean her sword in the snow, Quinton watched in mild awe, "Wow Laura… that was kinda cool, but also kinda scary how cold blooded you were just now."

The Winter Knight grimaced and nodded silently behind her visor. In truth, she hated having to kill in such a vicious and merciless way, but it had to be done. As the others caught their breath, they were surprised as the small wolf who had once been victimized by his pack limped over. Connor gripped his sword and took a defensive stance, "Careful now…"

"No…" Noelle said stopping him with her hand. She slowly walked out and extended a gentle hand to the creature. To everyone's surprise, the wolf accepted her touch and nuzzled her arm in return. The Autumn Knight put her arms over the neck of the wolf and carefully cuddled it, "Aww, that's a good boy. You just want to be friends, right? You found a new pack?"

"Well I'll be damned," Stephen sighed, "Noelle might be the next dog whisperer here."

Moments later, the skies darkened and an icy blast of wind swept across the plains. The shaken knights stopped and flinched as another powerful gust of icy wind swirled around them. Despite wearing their fey armor, the five friends save for Laura were staggered as the temperatures dropped further and a chilling feeling of paralysis swept over them. Quinton gasped and looked around the obscured tundra before speaking through chattering teeth, "What's happening? Where did this sudden storm come from?"

Noelle turned in surprise as the huge winter wolf she had been holding shrugged her arms off and gave a low moan before trotting off into the blizzard.

"Hey! Come back! Where are you going?" she called out in confusion to the animal.

A minute later, the wolf returned but this time, several other figures emerged from the swirling cloud of snow and wind. Several warriors rode on white horse like creatures wearing deep blue garments and armor tinted a blackish purple color. A few of them carried spears with blue pennons trailing behind displaying a white snowflake design. As the riders approached, they appeared to be Elven soldiers and their mounts looked to be even more unusual. Instead of having four legs, the beasts had eight legs. To anyone well versed in Norse mythology, they would have recognized the creatures to be Sleipnir horses.

Having been caught out in the open snow fields, the knights tensed up and watched in growing dread as the Winter Court cavalry riders closed in and encircled them. It was clear that even with their powers and skills, it would be near suicide to try and fight the Winter patrol. The knights were already tired and had been drained from whatever debilitating blizzard spell had just been cast. Even worse, it would be hard to move in the deep snow and the cavalrymen had an added advantage of speed and height on the knights too.

The knights watched and waited as the leader of the riders cantered forward and leveled his polearm with a serrated icicle spearhead, "You five are trespassing on the lands of her Majesty Queen Mab. State your business!"

Laura stepped forward and slowly raised hand up begging for restraint, "I am a knight of Winter… my friends and I are searching for an assassin."

The rider glanced around at the wide snowy tundra around them, "Out here? In the middle of nowhere? I find that hard to believe."

Laura grimaced and thought furiously for a moment to talk her way out of this, "I give you my word as a knight that this is the truth. If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to plead my case before Her Majesty myself."

The rider gave a mocking laugh, "Oh I will take you back to the Winter Court. But whether or not Queen Mab will show you any mercy depends on her. Now, lay down your weapons and surrender to us."

Laura turned and saw her four other allies tense up and grip their weapons tighter in case of a fight, but she shook her head toward them. The Winter Knight calmly looked back to the riders and slowly placed her rapier in the snow before raising her hands in surrender. She hated to do it, but it was the only way to buy time and be taken back to civilization. Perhaps they'd even have some luck pleading before the monarchs of Winter.

The other four knights watched Laura surrender before grudgingly laying down their weapons too. The riders dismounted and gathered up the knights' weapons before binding their wrists next. The leaders of the riders stopped a moment and curiously studied Stephen before he turned and gave Laura a little shove forward in the shoulder, "Seems you humans aren't as stupid as I thought. We'll just have to see if the rest of the Winter Court agrees."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Major parts of this current plotline have been adapted from a campaign played by my longtime tabletop gaming group. I can't think of a better team of people to go on imaginary adventures with that are full of violent battles, drunken mayhem, and more absurd humor than you can shake a +1 longsword at.**


	53. A Chilly Reception

**Episode 27: Part 1  
**

A bitterly cold wind began to blow as the five knights were taken to _Arctis Tor_ , the capital city of the Winter Realm. After reaching the gates, the knights were herded into a small transport wagon and escorted through the streets toward the royal palace. As they rode along the frozen boulevards, Stephen Gentum- Smith observed his surroundings and couldn't help but make comparisons to the Summer City of _Solas_. Just like the heart of Summer, _Arctis Tor_ was a surprisingly bustling city with merchant shops lining the streets and Winter fey residents busy at work or strolling down the roads. Despite the cold temperature, many of the pale complexioned Elves native to that land didn't wear heavier clothes, nor did they appear to be affected by the environment either.

In the absence of trees and the greenery of lush gardens and flowers, the capital of Winter displayed stunning architecture in its buildings as well as the monuments and obelisks lining the city streets. Where structures in Summer were made of wood and white marble stone, here things were chiseled out of smooth black stone and pure ice. In a strangely beautiful way, the light of the sun reflected off the ice and sometimes created colorful prismatic glows around the buildings. As they neared the large royal palace, Stephen could see blue and purple pennons fluttering atop snow covered towers and ramparts.

More Winter soldiers gathered around the cart and followed it inside as Stephen cast a glance to his companions. Quinton and Noelle shivered from the cold and huddled together with Connor who had put reassuring arms over both his friends. Nearby, Laura sat quietly with a stony expression. She was obviously watching and waiting, but her body language suggested she was just as restless and uneasy as her companions.

Before he moved to go talk to her, the wagon stopped and the door opened. The captain of the riders gave a derisive snort and impatiently led them out into the chilly snowy courtyard, "Come on then. We haven't got all day. Get moving!"

The five were led inside with a platoon of soldiers and they followed the captain through the halls of the Winter Palace. Again, the place was a complete contrast to the home of the Summer Court. While servants and soldiers busily went about their duties, there was a frigid serious atmosphere about the palace. The ice was cold, hard, and sterile and the laughter and chatter of the Summer Court was replaced by somber quiet and hushed conversations. Residents of the palace eyed the newcomers with a mixture of curiosity and hostile suspicion before moving on.

"Seems like these guys don't mess around here," Noelle commented quietly while Quinton gave an uncertain shrug.

"In that case, I think it's probably best that you and Laura do the talking here. If Connor and I are going to keep our heads attached to our shoulders, we should probably shut up."

"I won't let that happen Quinton," Laura said brusquely while walking at the head of the party, "I'm not quite sure what to expect, but hopefully I can try speaking to Mab... noble to noble."

After a bit of a walk, the knights were led through two great doors made of ornate sculpted ice and ushered into a grand throne room. The large reflective room was lit by magically glowing crystals which hung from icy chandeliers above resembling naturally forming icicles. From the sides of the room, they could see that the sky outside was growing overcast and dark while the wind picked up... likely a precursor to some snow storm.

At the head of the room were two large thrones made of ice. At the foot of the dais were several heavily armored Elven soldiers with menacing halberds, no doubt the elite royal guardsmen of the Winter Court. Sitting upon the throne was an Elven man and woman wearing exquisite blue and purple raiments befitting royalty. Both monarchs had pale alabaster skin with black hair and looked to be the polar opposites of King Oberon and Queen Titania. Like the Summer rulers, the Winter monarchs were both beautiful and proud looking, but instead of having a warm and gentle bearing, there was a cold and calculating air about them... one of danger and feral savagery lying just underneath the skin.

The captain and the soldiers bowed, "King Fenris and Queen Mab, rulers of this icy realm... I present to you five human warriors who claim to hold the power of the old Tuathan Knights."

As he stepped back and the soldiers fell into line, Queen Mab rose slowly from her seat and extended her hands with a strangely predatory grin on her lips, "Ah yes... the mortal knights of Somerset Valley. Welcome to the Winter Court children. I've heard many stories about your exploits and I've been waiting for a chance to meet you."

"The honor is ours Your Majesty," Laura answered as she stepped forward and gave a polite bow, "I am Lady Laura Gremory, the one who wears a ring containing the power of your land."

Mab studied her for a long moment before giving a satisfied nod, "A strong looking female warrior... and one who gives off such a noble bearing. I'm pleased. Is the Knight of Autumn in your band as well?"

Noelle hesitantly stepped forward and gave a bow, "Yes Highness. I'm uh, Lady Noelle Moraeu."

Mab gave another nod before glancing over to Connor and Quinton. She regarded the Knights of Summer and Spring with chilly silence and a threatening glare, "And I assume you are the representatives of our ancient enemies?"

"We are Queen Mab... but we're here only to support Lady Laura on a mission of peace," Connor said timidly.

Mab turned her gaze toward Stephen and smiled, "And you... you must be the Silver Knight, chosen by the Court of Stars... such a handsome young man, and a familiar looking one too. Tell me... what is your name?"

Stephen gulped nervously, "My name? It's Stephen... Stephen Gentum-Smith, Your Majesty."

Mab tilted her head and gave a delighted chuckle before turning to her shocked looking cavalry captain, "Oh my... did you hear that Sir Tamlin? You had an honored guest in your midst and you didn't even know it. It would seem that the realm is even smaller than we thought."

Stephen frowned and gave a slightly puzzled look, "I'm sorry Queen Mab... I'm not sure I quite understand what's going on."

The Winter Queen laughed even more in amusement, her voice sounding like the tinkling of ice, "This is all too amusing and I had to see it for myself in order to believe it. To think, the Silver Knight of the Star Court unable to recognize his own father... and visa versa!"

The other knights balked while Stephen stood frozen in shock with a gobsmacked look, "I... what? Are you telling me that fey knight over there is really my father? It can't be!"

Sir Tamlin looked over and regarded the Silver Knight carefully, "I find it hard to believe myself."

Tamlin turned to the Winter Queen with a hint of outrage, "Can this really be true? You had told me he was dead and gone!"

"You wanted me dead?" Stephen gasped but the fey knight shook his head.

"No! Of course not... but the situation, it was complicated to say the least."

Mab smiled to the young human, "My dear, remember that we fey take care of our own and watch over the children... especially the Changelings. Do you think I would let harm befall one of my subjects?"

"Then did you really lie to me?" Tamlin asked his queen but he was rebuked by the Winter King Fenris.

"Silence! You will hold your tongue and know your place Sir Tamlin!"

The knight scowled and bowed his head in silence while Stephen continued to shake his head in confusion, "How..."

Mab sighed, "I've ruled over the Winter Court with my husband Fenris for hundreds of years child. It's my business to know everything that relates to my subjects... especially my own knights."

Stephen slowly looked to Tamlin, a mixture of anger, confusion, and indignation bubbling in his chest, "Is this really true? Are you really my dad? Where have you been?"

Tamlin looked away with a hint of shame, "It was a long time ago and I didn't know you were still alive. I never thought fate would work out this way... that a human like you would return as a fey knight."

Laura turned to Stephen and put a firm hand on his arm to restrain him from any more outbursts. The situation had already taken a shocking turn and she hoped to put it back under some sort of control. Once things had settled, Queen Mab turned back to Laura warmly, "Perhaps the two knights can sort out their familial issues later. Now my dear... it would seem that you and your erstwhile companions have stumbled into our realm. I understand that Lord Balor and his Fomorian warriors have been waging a vicious campaign to gain a foothold in your world. If you aren't there right now, the question is what are you doing here?"

Laura met the eyes of the Winter Queen and did her best to remain calm and composed, "In all honesty Queen Mab, we were pursuing a fey assassin who had attacked people within the Summer Court. We can only guess that it was an agent of Lord Balor, but we were hoping to catch the killer and find out for certain."

"Interesting," Mab mused as she slowly sat back down on hr throne and gave a thoughtful look, "Chaos and attempted murder in _Solas_. Assuming you had just chased the killer here, it begs the question… what were you doing conspiring with the Summer fey?"

Noelle stepped forward and spoke up to support Laura, "We were invited to speak with the court and we hoped they would consider helping us in the fight against Balor. Oberon and Titania said that the Fomorians are gathering their strength and threatening a major action."

"You're suggesting that we join Summer and Spring in another Grand Alliance?" King Fenris asked suspiciously, "The last one was hundreds of years ago. Do you really think that the Summer fey are truly sincere in their desire for this?"

"I can't speak for Summer," Laura said evenly, "But they do realize that Balor and his armies are a legitimate threat to the Faerie realm, just as I'm sure you know too. If we're all going to have a better chance of surviving such an attack, we'll be stronger by working together."

Fenris wrinkled his features before glancing to his wife, "The girl makes a fair argument."

Mab nodded quietly, "Yes. I appreciate the pragmatism… but there is one thing I still question."

The knights watched in queen in silent confusion before she reclined languidly on her icy chair and gave a catlike smile, "You speak with confidence and I've heard tell of your martial prowess in battle Lady Laura, but I wonder just how certain and committed you are to this fight… to have us unite together and vanquish Balor?"

Laura tilted her head in puzzlement, "Majesty?"

"I'm asking if you're ready to do whatever it takes to win this war… even if that means doing questionable things in order to achieve victory. When the Winter Court commits to a fight, we do it seriously and we accept nothing less than death or victory."

"I'm afraid I don't understand Queen Mab," Laura said carefully while feeling her stomach drop, "Are you asking me to do something… to prove my worth to you?"

Mab gave a wicked smile, "A smart girl too. The ring of Winter chose well. You've come to our court to plead your case and while your words have merit, you've failed to offer us a proper tribute or show of your worth."

"Are you kidding me?" Quinton growled in outrage under his breath.

Laura stood firm while facing the monarchs, "How would you have me prove my worth to you?"

The Winter Queen smiled, "I would like you to entertain us and fight a duel to the death with one of our champions. If you can best that warrior, I will know you are serious and able to replace that lesser fighter."

Noelle cast a fearful look to her friend, "Laura… are you sure about this?"

Laura ignored her and stared down Mab, "All right. If that's what it takes, then I accept. Who would you have me fight?"

Mab smirked and gestured toward Stephen's father, standing nearby, "You will duel Sir Tamlin. He is one of our court's most accomplished warriors. Tamlin?"

"As you wish Queen Mab," Tamlin replied coldly while casting a hard glare toward Laura.

"Wait… no! You can't!" Stephen said in alarm but his two male companions quickly restrained him, "There has to be another way!"

Laura turned with a reproving glare and sharply rebuked her comrade, "Stay out of this Stephen. We don't have a choice in the matter… and this is not your fight."

As Connor clamped down firmly on the Silver Knight, Laura turned to the monarchs with a nod, "If this is what it takes to convince you to join the alliance, then I accept."

Mab gave a delighted smile, "Excellent! The duel shall be fought tomorrow at midday here in this room. Until then, the Winter Court will extend its protection and hospitality to you and your companions."

With that, she gestured to the guards and gave a wave, "Now… see these knights away to their quarters."

Sir Tamlin grimaced silently and kept his eyes on the struggling form of Stephen while the other guards escorted the humans out. Right now, there was nothing he could do. The Queen had given a command and all he could do was but to obey.

* * *

Later that evening, the knights sat together in an ornate common room which adjoined their rooms. Because they were not natives of Winter and acclimated to the cold, they were shown to guest quarters afforded to visiting diplomats and ambassadors from other warmer areas of the Faerie Realm. A warm fire crackled in the fire place while the five friends huddled in warm blankets and sat around throw rugs which were placed about the lodgings.

After all the fighting, slogging through snow, and fey politics, the knights were weary and needed rest and warmth. After finishing a meal which was brought to them, they sat near the fire basking in the light and warmth while a dark howling snowstorm raged outside. Connor, Quinton, and Noelle sat huddled together for warmth and idly dozed while Laura sat vigilantly looking into the fire, as if lost in a trance.

As she took a long breath, she glanced over and saw Stephen sitting nearby, watching her with a small scowl on his face. "You should rest. You have an important battle tomorrow."

The Winter Knight grimaced again, "I know I should, but I've got a lot to think about right now."

"I believe it," Stephen said with a hint of anger in his voice, "I mean… what is wrong with you? What the hell were you thinking when you accepted that invitation to a duel?"

Laura scowled, "Do you not understand there is no other choice? This is all a test Stephen! This is what Mab wants, and this is the mindset Winter works under. Kill or be killed. It's either us, or them."

"There's always another way!" Stephen insisted heatedly.

"Stephen… I know I have to fight your father and I'm sorry about that but…"

The Silver Knight shook his head, "To hell with that right now. I'm worried more about you getting killed tomorrow."

Laura stopped in surprise and fell silent at his outburst before he continued, "For you to just make that decision yourself… it's very selfish Laura, and it's cruel to the rest of us because we care about you… and so do I."

The Winter Knight turned back to the fireplace before nodding quietly, "I know… I still might not know how to really show it, but I feel the same way about the rest of you too. If I can be totally honest with you, part of me couldn't help but wonder if maybe Mab was right to question my resolve. There may have been a time before where I'd look at a situation like this and not feel any qualms… but having to kill another foe when I could possibly avoid it… I'm not so sure anymore. Sir Tamlin is still your father after all."

"A father who left me and never tried to be a part of my life," Stephen said bitterly, "Don't misunderstand me… it's not like I want him to die either, but I trust that you'll do the right thing tomorrow and that you'll do what you need to do."

To the Winter Knight's surprise, he reached out and put a warm hand over hers giving a small encouraging squeeze while they continued to keep their quiet vigilant guard over the protective light of the crackling fire. Unknown to them, a figure in blue robes walked down the palace corridor and stopped at the foot of the door. He raised a knuckle to tap at the door but paused. The chosen champion of the Winter Court Sir Tamlin stood in silent hesitation debating whether or not to try and speak to his long lost son. Several long moments passed before he loosened his fist and lowered his hand. Without a sound, he turned away and left the hall unable to find the words or the will follow through. He wasn't sure if being put in this terrible situation was another cruel test of Queen Mab, but Tamlin knew that if he was already faltering now, it would not bode well for the duel tomorrow.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Tam Lin was inspired from an old Celtic legend of a faerie knight who challenged the authority of the Queen of Faeries in order to be with the mortal woman that he loved. While this is not a direct connection, the circumstances of Sir Tamlin here shares several parallels.**


	54. Trial by Combat

**Episode 27: Part 2  
**

The next morning, the snowstorm had subsided and the air had become unusually bright and calm. Fresh snow coated the royal palace and blanketed the icy city of Arctis Tor while the sunlight glistened off the reflective surfaces of the buildings. If the coming situation was not so dire, the serene sight of the Winter city would almost be a lovely distraction.

After a light breakfast, the knights were escorted from their quarters and brought to the throne room. The king and queen had not arrived yet but the chambers were filled with guards, lesser knights, and several Elven nobles of Winter. Near the head of the congregation, the humans recognized Lord Sigurd, one of the court's highest ranking members and the counterpart of Lord Gwydion in Summer.

While the spectators milled about, Connor, Quinton, and Noelle gathered around Laura to give her some last minute encouragement and grooming.

Quinton gave Laura a neck massage while Noelle fussed over her friend's appearance all the while voicing their concern over her. Connor stood by and crossed his arms with a worried look before tuning to the Winter Knight, "So it looks like you're going to be partaking a faerie duel for real this time, huh?"

"Yeah... seems that way," she simply nodded.

Connor grimaced and spoke quietly, "Well, I already know you're going to wipe the floor with that guy and you probably don't need me inflating your ego any more but... just do me a favor? Please be careful out there Laura."

Laura stopped and turned her head, gracing him with a small appreciative smile and nod, "I will... thank you Connor."

As Stephen moved to join them nearby, he was stopped when he felt a tap on the shoulder. He slowly turned and gasped in surprise when he found that it was Sir Tamlin... the fey knight who allegedly had been revealed as his true father. Tamlin glanced around quickly and spoke in a low voice, "Stephen... I... may I have a few minutes to speak with you? Alone?"

Stephen blinked several times and nodded silently before the two moved off to a far corner of the chamber to speak. Once they were clear, Tamlin studied the Silver Knight and gave a sigh, "You've grown into an impressive young man."

"Really? You're suddenly going to act nice... like you know me all of a sudden?" Stephen said defensively, "All I know is that you're going to go out there and try to kill one of my friends today."

Tamlin grimaced and looked away, "I don't blame you for being upset or suspicious Stephen, but you have to know that even though what Mab said is true, I never meant for you to be abandoned. I never knew you were still alive."

The Silver Knight breathed deeply to contain his emotions, "All right... if that's true, then tell me what happened. Everyone here in Winter seems to know except for me."

Tamlin nodded and spoke quietly, "I met your mother many years ago in the mortal world. Against my better judgment and the will of the Winter Court, I fell in love with her and carried on a long affair. In all honesty, we didn't expect your being born but when you did, Queen Mab found out and was furious that one of her high ranking knights had disobeyed her. She set out to punish me and sent her agents to try and kill you two. From what Mab has told me now, it seems your mother got you to the safety of a public shelter before the Winter fey took her for good. I had been told you were both dead and I should just forget you. Instead of being disgraced, this was my punishment... to live with that grief as my reminder to never defy the rulers of Winter again."

Stephen paused and nodded, feeling his anger abate and a hint of sympathy and pity replace it. Tamlin glanced up again, "I know this does not make up for my not being a part of your life, and I'm sorry you had to endure that. But I still wanted this one last chance to see you because I'm going to make amends today. I'm going to make things right by you and fight my last duel."

Stephen frowned in confusion, "I don't understand... what are you talking about?"

Before Stephen could say anything more, the soldiers snapped to attention as King Fenris and Queen Mab entered the chambers and took their seats upon their icy thrones. As they presided quietly over the coming battle, the other servants and guards cleared out to make room for the two combatants. Laura steeled herself and raised her ring to transform into the Winter Knight amid a blue light and burst of icy snowflakes. She drew her rapier and handed it to Stephen before striding forward to address the King and Queen of Winter.

As she stopped and stood alongside Sir Tamlin, she saw that the Elven Knight had girded himself in an impressive suit of light armor which was a step up from that worn by the rank and file Winter soldiers. He regarded her with a silent stony nod before they looked to the two seated monarchs and bowed. As the two combatants walked back to their respective seconds, a herald made the opening announcements and read the rules.

"Here stands Sir Tamlin, a champion of the Winter Court chosen by her Royal Highness Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness. The challenger today is Lady Laura Gremory, a Tuathan knight of Somerset Valley in the Mortal Realm. This is a duel to the death and it shall be conducted honorably. There will be no backstabbing, no throwing of weapons, or accepting of any assistance from the rest of those here present. You will attend to your weapons and begin on my mark."

Laura looked to her fellow knights and gave a reassuring nod before taking her sword from Stephen. She stepped forward and addressed Tamlin with a duelist's salute before taking a ready stance. The champion of the Winter Court did the same with his own sword and the main floor cleared out. Both combatants squared up and at the signal began to slowly advance, watching each others movements. Both knights wielded rapier type swords and approached each other with the careful calculating movements of skilled fencers. As she circled and looked for any sort of opening, Laura couldn't help but be reminded of her first duel against Connor a year ago. While that fight had technically ended in a civil draw, she realized that this was a must win situation against a warrior who likely shared her own fighting style as well.

Tamlin sprung first with a lightning fast thrust, but Laura parried the sword aside and countered only to have her rapier deflected as well. Both duelists rolled off the others momentum and broke apart, going back to neutral stances. Tamlin paced around slowly while staring her down and took several light probing slashes which Laura easily fended off. She growled as she kept her guard up. He was testing her and maybe even toying with her. As the nimble fey warrior circled around again, Laura feinted and locked blades with her opponent before sliding her blade in and using a whirling motion to cut through her enemy's guard. Tamlin gasped and backpedaled away just in time for the tip of Laura's rapier to score a long nick against his breastplate.

The human knights all gave hopeful smiles as Laura raised her guard again with determination. She had scored the first touch, but to win this match, her blade still had to find home with her foe's vulnerable flesh. Tamlin snorted with an amused smile as he readied himself again for another clash. "It seems I underestimated you Lady Laura. You've got some skill with the sword."

Laura held her ready stance and decided to try and goad her opponent, "Why don't you stop playing around and let me show you just how skilled I am."

Tamlin laughed and sprung forward with great speed locking blades with her again. To Laura's surprise, he threw his full weight forward and bullrushed her backwards which knocked her slightly off balance. As she raised her blade to push back, Tamlin parried and struck the side of her helmet with a vicious backhand punch. The Winter Knight staggered back again before she felt her foe's icy blade nick her in the thigh at a point that wasn't fully covered by armor plating. The magic of the blade sent an icy chill up her leg causing momentary pain and paralysis.

Tamlin continued to circle like a predatory animal while Laura regained her footing and gritted her teeth through the minor injury. She had boasted and now had been repaid in kind. The knights and the rest of the court remained silent, holding their collective breaths as the two lashed out again and exchanged a series of feinting slashes and thrusts. Tamlin pressed his attack and knocked aside Laura's rapier with a barehanded block. The Winter Knight quickly countered into an unexpected spin and surprised her enemy with a left hook to the chin. As Tamlin staggered from the punch, Laura followed through with her momentum and slashed him just under the arm where his armor was weak, giving him an injury as well.

Gasps were heard from the fey while the human knights gave a subdued cheer. On their thrones, the monarchs watched silently with amused smiles as the warriors squared up and tipped each others swords. Tamlin slumped to one side trying to compensate for his wound while Laura did the same keeping her weight off her injured leg. Tamlin slapped her rapier with his own in a threatening gesture, "What are you waiting for girl? Queen Mab is right! You are scared!"

Laura growled and tightened her grip on her blade, "I don't want to have to kill you Tamlin! We don't have to fight and you know it!"

Sir Tamlin glanced toward the Winter monarchs before looking to Stephen and back to her again. A conflicted look flickered across his face before he hardened his expression again, "Come now Lady Laura... don't you want to be a hero? Think about it. If you defeat me, you make an even stronger case for convincing Winter to join the Alliance. Isn't that what you want?"

"Of course!" Laura shot back as they exchanged a few more blows and used their agility to keep maneuvering, "But Stephen..."

"My son understands what's at stake here!" he roared, "If you still don't, then maybe the ring of Winter should have chosen him instead. If you're going to attack, then come at me as if you really mean to kill me!"

Tamlin charged forward and broke through Laura's guard. He slashed her in the side, but her armor protected her. As the blow knocked the wind from her lungs, he kicked her backwards but she stopped her fall with a desperate rolling tumble. The court gasped again as Tamlin moved for a downward slash which was countered by Laura. At the last minute, she sliced upward and wounded Tamlin's forearm causing him to drop his blade. Laura immediately sprung in desperate fury and knocked him backward, driving him to the ground. Before Tamlin could react, she put the tip of her rapier right to the gap in his armor at his exposed throat.

"Well done!" King Fenris cheered while Mab applauded in sadistic glee, "Now... finish the job Winter Knight."

Laura stared at the king and queen panting in exhaustion before glancing back to the fey knight at her mercy. He looked back to her with a stony expression, as if he was accepting the situation... that a younger stronger winter wolf was about to clamp down on his throat. Both duelists took a moment to catch their breath as Laura remained indecisive. Tamlin panted and fixed his eyes on her, "Well? What are you waiting for? Do it already!"

"I... I can't," Laura said quietly, "Stephen might not have his true mother anymore, but I'm not going to be responsible for taking his father."

Tamlin glanced toward Stephen on the sidelines and then back to Laura forcing a scoff, "You speak as if you knew his mother. You know nothing about her! She was nothing to me!"

"What?"

"You heard me! She was a fool!" Tamlin said sharply, "A stupid whore who couldn't resist a handsome face and a few kind words. Pathetic!"

"Shut up!" Laura growled in growing fury as she felt the need to defend her own friend. On the sidelines, Stephen watched fearfully. He winced at the words being said, but he understood why Tamlin was saying it. He needed to goad Laura into following through. Tamlin was sacrificing himself so that the Grand Alliance would have a chance of forming. It was daring in its own way... suicidal, honorable, and daring.

Tamlin scoffed again with a bitter laugh, "Don't tell me my son Stephen has put the same spell on you. Is that all you are? Is that all you're going to amount to? A scared stupid pathetic little whore?"

In that moment of pure blind emotion, Laura let her rage and indignation get the better of her. She drove the blade home and Tamlin leaned into the rapier as well. The court fell silent and the human knights all stood speechless while Laura stared into the face of the dying fey knight. Blood began bubbling from Tamlin's neck and pooling on the frozen floor as Laura straightened up and let the moment of fury pass. She looked down in shock and horror and what she had done but Tamlin smiled back to her with a serene nod. He wheezed and coughed a few small gobs of blood before leaning his head back and whispering to her, "Thank you."

The Winter Knight breathed heavily and slowly rose to her feet before looking to Fenris and Mab. Laura bowed her head slightly and turned to glance at her own fellow knights with a shell shocked look. She dropped her sword to the floor and let it clatter away while the noise echoed in the chamber. Without a word, she slowly limped away and headed out the doors of the throne room leaving every person there still silent in shock, fear, and awe.

Once she had departed, Stephen slowly walked over and knelt down beside the fallen form of Sir Tamlin. He placed a hand on Tamlin's cuirass and spoke quietly, "I do understand... but I'm sorry this had to happen. If it helps to secure the Alliance and ensure victory over Balor... then there's only one thing I have to say... thank you."

He felt Noelle put her hands on his shoulders from behind in a comforting gesture while Connor and Quinton stood close by with somber looks on their faces. Queen Mab watched the grieving Silver Knight before giving a sigh, "He was a good knight of Winter and he did his duty. I would be proud of him too."

Stephen looked up slowly, "I am... and with respect, I'd like to ask that he be given a proper burial with honor."

Mab nodded and turned to Lord Sigurd before departing with the king, "See to the Silver Knight's request."

Sigurd bowed and looked to his guardsmen as Stephen, Quinton, and Connor began to lift the fallen warrior up from the ground, "The Queen gave an order. Now who will help the mortals carry Lord Tamlin?"


	55. Cold Blood, Warm Heart

**Episode 28: Part 1  
**

It had been a day since the ferocious duel in front of the Winter Court but Laura Gremory remained in her guest room lying in bed with a blanket draped over her. One of Queen Mab's physicians had come to magically heal her wounds from the fight but she continued to brood alone, refusing to speak to anyone else. The cold air of the realm clawed at her and no matter how much she tried, she kept feeling cold both inside and out. No blankets or fires were helping the awful feeling inside of her as she lay staring up at the frozen ceiling.

She had killed Sir Tamlin in her duel. While she had earned the respect of the Winter Court and a chance to negotiate an alliance with them, at the moment she didn't care because she felt more sick instead. She didn't want to have to kill Tamlin but he forced her hand and she did it in a moment of fury. Whether that was what he wanted all along, she still couldn't be sure. All she was sure of at the moment was the eerily calm look in his eyes when she did strike the final lethal blow. At that moment, the door knocked but Laura remained where she was.

"Laura? Are you in there? Are you decent?" It was Stephen. Of all people, she especially didn't want to face him.

"Go away!" Laura called from her bed. "I don't want to talk to anyone!"

The door opened slowly and Stephen carefully entered, "Well... that's just too damn bad. I'm going to talk to you whether you like it or not."

He walked inside and looked around seeing her still in bed, "Are you all right? Are your injuries..."

"They're fine, but do I look all right to you?" Laura said irritably kicking off her covers and rolling out of bed. "Are you really going to ask me that right now?"

Stephen looked away for a moment causing her to stop and lower her head apologetically, "I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you. You must have a lot to deal with right now too."

Stephen shrugged and gave a stoic nod before turning back to her, "Yes, but I'll manage. Lord Sigurd was generous enough to let his servants handle the details of Tamlin's burial."

Laura sighed and nodded while keeping her eyes from him, "Oh, that's good then. Umm... what about the others?"

"Connor, Quinton, and Noelle are off hunting down that Fomorian assassin again. They went out this morning into the city with several patrols of Winter guards to assist them. Queen Mab seems to think that it's best we catch this troublemaker before she tries to kill anyone here too."

"She tried and failed," Laura noted ruefully, "I was the one who actually killed someone in cold blood."

"Laura..."

The Winter Knight balled her fists and looked directly at her friend before she began to break down and cry bitterly, "I'm sorry Stephen! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to kill him. I really didn't want to."

The Silver Knight slowly approached and put his arms around her in a comforting hug, "It's okay."

"No! It's not okay! Hell, I come from a noble family! I should know better! Real knights don't do those kinds of things! In a fight like that, they show restraint and honor. There are rules!"

Stephen shook his head as she continued to cry into his chest, "But the rules here are not the same as the rules in our world. Tamlin knew that and so did you. You did what had to be done."

"And I hate myself for it! I hate having been put into that situation in the first place... but most of all, I'm afraid."

Stephen frowned in confusion as she shifted in his arms, "Afraid? Of what?"

"That I might really be no better than the Winter fey after all," Laura said, "That underneath the cool and collected surface, there's just a lot of rage and savagery... savagery inside me."

He shook his head, "No. I don't believe that. If you were really like them, this wouldn't be bothering you right now. Don't you see? The fact that you care is what affirms that you're human... and a moral one too. Over the course of this past year with us, I've seen you grow and change into someone more caring and compassionate... into a good knight who wants to protect others, and into a good friend who cares about her own family here too."

"You really think so? Do you mean that?" she said while relaxing a little and sniffling.

He kissed the side of her head and continued to comfort her, "I do."

A long companionable silence passed before Laura settled down and spoke again, her cheek resting against his shoulder, "Stephen... you don't hate me, or think any less of me for what I did... do you?"

He stopped and looked down a moment, "What? No. Of course not. I mean... I'm still sad about what happened, but I don't blame you for anything. I understand, and so do the rest of our friends. They were very concerned about you too."

"Still, Tamlin was your father."

"A father I barely knew," Stephen grimaced, "I have two adopted mothers back home who raised me... parents who I love very much. I know it's a little cold of me to say, but I can't feel too upset over losing someone I didn't really know. But Tamlin did what he thought was right and in the end, tried to help us in our mission here. He was even helping you in a way too."

"He was?"

Stephen nodded, "Yeah. Consider this his test to you. I'm sure he'd want you to try and overcome this and become stronger. The people of our home and the Faerie Realm are counting on us to unify the Four Courts against Balor and we can't let them down. There are too many lives at stake for us to sit feeling sorry for ourselves over some of the tough choices we've had to make."

Laura sniffled and nodded, "I... suppose you're right about that. But, I uh... did have something else I wanted to ask you about."

"Oh? What's that?"

Laura glanced away in mild embarrassment as she dried her eyes and nose, "During the fight, Sir Tamlin may have intimated that I might have had my judgment clouded because of... well, feelings for you."

Stephen calmly watched her, "Well... do you?"

She flushed and kept her eyes averted, "What? I... I don't know! Why are you asking me such a silly question right now?"

"You were the one who brought it up, and is it really such a silly question?" he asked while she looked up at him in surprise, "If you won't talk about it, then I will because if anyone has been put under a spell, it's me! It's because I have feelings for you Laura!"

She blinked in surprise and remained frozen in place, "I... you do?"

"Yes," he nodded, "Since I met you, and seeing you hurting and torn up right now... well, it hurts me too and it makes me want to help you even more. I uh... guess I'm kinda like you in a way. I don't like to put all my feelings on display but I thought this was as good a time as any."

With growing confidence he drew her close to him and leaned down toward her. They both hesitated for a moment before Stephen caught her lips and kissed her. Gently at first, Laura reached up and touched his cheek, reciprocating the kiss and drawing him in even closer. For a long moment, the two knights stood in the warmth of each others arms sharing a fiery passionate kiss before parting and catching their breath. As they parted, Laura gave a sigh and patted her red cheeks, "Oh... wow..."

"Yeah," Stephen said with an equally flushed face, "About what happened just now..."

She put a finger to his lips to silence him, "It's okay. I wanted it too, but there's still a lot of work to be done here. Maybe... when this whole faerie war is over, we can sort this out afterward?"

"I'd like that," he nodded as they shared one more kiss before a knock at the door was heard.

Stephen and Laura quickly parted and straightened out their appearance before walking back into the common room. Once they had regained some semblance of composure, Laura called, "Enter."

The door opened and an Elven messenger entered from the doorway. He gave a quick bow of respect to the two knights before addressing Laura, "Lady Gremory, I hope you're feeling better. I've come with a message from the Queen. Once you are ready, she would like to speak with you and your companions about your bid for the alliance."

"Thank you. You can tell the Queen that Sir Stephen and I will be along in a little while."

Laura nodded and dismissed the messenger before closing the door. She turned back into the common room and looked at herself in an ice mirror while Stephen threw a log on the fireplace and poked some of the coals. She gave a thoughtful frown, "This is going to be a very important meeting. Like you said, a lot of people are going to be counting on us. I can't help but wonder about Kristen and the others..."

"They're off doing their parts to make this alliance happen right now," Stephen said reassuringly, We should trust that they'll do their job, just like they're trusting you now... and I'll be here to help."

Laura looked across the room to him before giving a faint smile and nodding quietly, "Thanks again Stephen... now, let's go win this war, shall we?"

* * *

Meanwhile, the other knights made their way into a tavern at the other end of the city. Upon entering, the three spread out and caught sight of the dryad assassin Leucifia who had been laying low since her escape from the Summer lands. She had put on a heavy dark purple cloak to try and fit in with some of the other locals while she sat alone at a table eating a meal. After getting drink from the front counter, Connor walked over and sat down at the table across from her, using the dark blue cloak he had borrowed to obscure his face. "Mind if I sit here?"

Leucifia looked up in surprise with a suspicious frown, "And just who the hell are you?"

Connor chuckled and took a sip of his drink while keeping his head down, "Oh, just someone who's been looking for you. You see... there are some very important people who'd like to talk to you."

Leucifia snorted derisively and reclined in her seat, "Oh yeah? About what?"

"About the botched hatchet job you pulled on the Summer Court. About how you tried to disrupt the peace talks there and throw me and my friends under the bus."

The dryad assassin's eyes went wide in shock as Connor slowly removed his hood, "Wait... you're human! You're one of those knights I saw in _Solas_."

"And I'm here to take you in. You're going to answer for your crimes against the Lord and Lady of Spring."

Leucifia kicked over the table and flipped backwards in her chair to make an escape out the side entrance of the tavern. She stopped abruptly when she saw squads of Winter soldiers close in and block the doorways forcing her to retreat back inside. Amid the commotion that now erupted in the bar, Leucifia moved to try and head for a window but she didn't see Quinton sitting at another table and extend his foot out to trip her. The dryad gave an angry cry as she stumbled on Quinton's ankle and toppled over to the ground.

She sprung to her feet and pulled a small blade from an ankle sheath but she was caught by surprise as Noelle jumped up from her own table and grabbed her arm. The Autumn Knight viciously twisted the assassin's arm and forced her to drop the dagger before she used her weight to slam Leucifia down face first into a table. As Noelle used one of her martial arts moves to restrain the dryad's wrist from behind in a painful arm lock, Connor ambled over and gave a genial smile while holding his drink, "Now... are you ready to come quietly? The Summer Court is already very upset with you, and since you caused a mess in this tavern here, I'm sure the authorities here in Winter won't be too pleased with you either."

"You can go to hell Tuathan!" the dryad spat before Noelle twisted her wrist and silenced her.

"Good thing the fey don't have Miranda rights here," Connor smirked as he nodded to the Winter soldiers to come and take their prisoner, "She's all yours guys."

As the armored Winter guards restrained the assassin and took her away, Quinton came over and dusted off his hands, "Well... that settles that. Summer's going to want to prosecute that dryad and it'll give Winter an opening to start a dialogue with them for a prisoner exchange."

Connor nodded, "Fingers crossed. Right now, I'm hoping Stephen can get Laura back on her feet. The two of them are going to be critical if we're going to get the Winter Court on our side. With any luck, Kristen will be able to smooth things over in Summer too."

Noelle scratched her chin thoughtfully as the three walked out of the tavern, "As long as we don't have to chase down any more assassins. We got kinda lucky today that the Fomorian was still hanging around here in _Arctis Tor_."

"Lucky? Nonsense," Connor laughed while putting an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, "We had an elite member of the Erlking's Wylde Hunt on our side today. Honestly, the way you took down that assassin just now was like something out of a prime time cop show. It was pretty awesome."

"Not to mention kinda hot too," Quinton added helpfully while giving her a teasing poke in the side.

"Yeah... now that you mention it, I guess it kinda was, huh?" Connor smiled playing along while Noelle gave an exaggerated huff and hooked her arms around those of her two friends. As they continued to walk down the streets of _Arctis Tor_ back towards the palace, she simply shook her head to herself.

"Seriously... what am I going to do with you two?"


	56. Knights' Gambit

**Episode 28: Part 2  
**

The next morning, the five knights gathered in the central courtyard of the Winter Palace as the High Lord Sigurd walked outside to meet them. While they waited, the knights took a moment to admire some of the art and decorum of the place grounds. A large frozen fountain sat in the middle of the courtyard garden while pedestals spread out in a radial pattern across the snowy lawn. Like the "immortalized" marble statues in the gardens of Summer, the statues here were a bit more macabre.

The figures upon the pedestals were mostly human, Elven, and other humanoid fey, except they appeared to be living beings who were completely frozen in ice. It was hard to tell from a distance but upon closer inspection, they were in fact frozen people. A palace servant had told Stephen and Laura in passing that the statues were people who had failed Queen Mab and incurred her wrath, so they were made examples of and put on artistic display. Despite the two knights' horror and disgust, it seemed that many of the resident Elves of Winter didn't mind at all and found the statues to be rather interesting instead.

Upon nearing, the taciturn lord of Winter gave a nod and addressed the humans, "Lady Laura, the Winter King and Queen wish you and your companions safe travels home. They will be departing soon with a delegation of Autumn fey to the Court of Stars for the formal talks of a Grand Alliance. It seems your actions and your words must have made quite an impression on them."

"You're too kind Lord Sigurd. Thank you," Laura replied with a respectful bow of the head, "I hope they can find a means to meet the Summer Court halfway and join the fight together. For one thing, I know you and Lord Gwydion had participated in efforts together over the past year."

Sigurd grimaced slightly and sighed, "I've always found Lord Gwydion to be a bit trying as well as too soft of you mortals... but I will grudgingly admit that he does have his redeeming qualities too."

"Well... it's a start," Quinton joked to Connor, "Now all we need to do is get you and Laura to stop arguing and that Alliance is in the bag."

"Ha ha. Very funny Quinton," the Summer Knight mumbled in reply while giving his best friend a mild shove in the arm.

Stephen stepped forward next and gave a bow to Sigurd, "Thank you again for seeing to Sir Tamlin's burial arrangements. I promise once this war is over, I'd like to go visit and pay my respects to him."

"As you wish Sir Stephen. Queen Mab said you would be welcome to come and go safely in the lands Winter at any time."

"Then it looks like it's time for us to go home," Noelle chimed in, "We've gotten the Four Courts to agree to go to the bargaining table. Now it's going to be up to them to hash out their differences and unify."

"Perhaps we may yet go into battle with you five knights," Sigurd said evenly, "For what it's worth, I will wish you luck in your continued defense against the forces of Lord Balor and his war host. I have a feeling you will need it."

The high Elf snapped his fingers and opened a portal back to Somerset Valley in the form of a small swirling vortex of snowy wind. After giving one more round of thanks, the five knights hesitantly entered the vortex and made their way back home, unaware of the hellish calamity that was about to unfold in their absence.

* * *

As early morning light crested over the hills that overlooked Somerset Valley, the Fomorian general Seamus Killarny stood at the mouth of one of the portal caves leading into the Underworld. At his back were hordes of spriggan soldiers and lesser Fomorian lieutenants prepared to march forward into the mortal realm. While the vanguard of the attack force sortied out and began forming ranks, Seamus held a small reflective stone imbued with dark magic that he used to speak with Lord Balor.

"The army has been fully assembled Lord Balor. We're ready to launch the attack on your command."

"Good. Before you do, have you heard any word from your dryad assassin that you sent into Summer?"

Seamus grimaced, "I lost contact with her a day ago. I heard a rumor that she almost killed the leaders of Spring, but it hasn't seemed to deter the Summer Court from mobilizing its own forces."

"No matter," Balor said, "If the Spring and Summer Courts wish to fight together we will meet them once we seize our foothold in the mortal world. If Autumn and Winter haven't aligned with them, it should be easier to destroy each kingdom piecemeal. What of the knights?"

"My spy crows have told me that they have yet to return," the redcap answered, "The human town has been left virtually defenseless."

Balor's voice betrayed a predatory smile. "Good. Then go now Seamus! Lead the first wave and do not fail. Once the town falls, we'll finally be able to launch our invasion on the Faerie Realm."

"Right away Lord Balor," Seamus said while putting away the stone and signaling his troops. Several spriggan companies raised their banners, black pennons with the symbol of Balor's fiery red eye. Other soldiers blew notes on their horns and drums sounded as the massive first wave of the Fomorian assault forces began to pour out of the caves and crash down the hills toward the unsuspecting town below.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kristen Bloom gave an exhausted sigh as she made her way back into her shop. After an ordeal of sorting out the political chaos of an attempted assassination, she had managed to talk sense into the Summer Court and explain that her knights had been framed and went after the last of the would-be killers. Fortunately, the nobles of Spring had been revived and helped to clear the names of the knights as well. Having quelled the incident, the young Druid was excused and allowed to return home safely.

After changing back into her civilian clothes, Kristen was given a portal to take home and she dropped her travel bag upon entering the familiar safety of her antique store. She was greeted by the sight of Mr. Sean O'Doyle sitting behind the counter reading a newspaper, minding the place while she was away. The young woman also smiled as she saw the store's two pet gargoyles scamper up to greet her. Scratch and Yum-Yum immediately clamped on to her ankles and happily hugged her legs while she walked inside. "Yes, hello boys. I'm very glad to see you too."

As she picked them up in both her arms, she gave a nod to her fellow Druid and old friend, "Thanks for looking after things for me Sean. It's good to be home."

"Had an interesting trip I take it?" the older Druid said as he stood up and put down the newspaper. "The kids haven't come back with you. I hope there wasn't any trouble."

"Trouble is the understatement of the decade," she replied as she put the two jabbering gargoyles down on the countertop. She quickly explained the entire incident in the Summer Realm and gave a tired sigh.

"I don't know where that portal led, but we have to hope that the knights will be able to make contact with us soon."

Mr. O'Doyle gave a kind smile and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry Kristen. They're not rookies anymore. For now, let's just have some faith that the kids can come through and make it back home on their own."

Kristen bit her lip before finally relenting with a nod, "Yeah… I guess you're right. We've got enough to worry about here, right?"

As she said that, a loud commotion was heard and crowds of people who had been milling about downtown began rushing past the store in a panic. The two Druids stopped and looked to each other in confusion before hurrying to the door. Mr. O'Doyle called out, "What's wrong? Is it another monster attack?"

As Kristen poked her head out and looked down the street, her eyes went wide in horror. Large parts of the downtown were burning and being looted. Amid the fleeing civilians, a massive force of spriggans in fully armed war gear made their way down the street, looting, pillaging, and destroying everything in their wake. She quickly slammed the door and rushed over to the counter. "Not just any attack Sean. This looks like the big one. The place is crawling with spriggan warriors. We've got to get out of town! Now!"

Mr. O'Doyle gave a fearful nod and pulled out a gym bag before quickly stuffing their two gargoyle friends inside. "Sorry you two. We've got to escape so just hold on, okay?"

Kristen grabbed her own staff and a bag full of assorted magic items she kept locked away before rushing to the door, "Let's go Sean! We don't have much time!"

The two Druids ran out of the shop and began to rush down the street, fleeing in the opposite direction of the advancing Fomorian horde. In the chaos and confusion, large scores of civilians had been cut off from the sudden evacuation and had been taken prisoner. Among them were many locals as well as students from the nearby campus. No doubt it would be long before the Fomorian troops spread out and made their way to attack the college as well.

As they continued to run toward the edge of town, O'Doyle gasped, "We have to warn the Juniper Order and get help. There's no way the two of us would be able to fight off an army that size."

"If we can make it to the woods, we might be able to escape and cross over into Spring," Kristen called back as she saw spells from some Fomorian war mages being cast and rain down upon the town. Smoke began to plume high into the air and the fearful cries of people echoed in the wind while sirens of emergency vehicles began to wail. If they hoped to try and check the destructive wake of the Fomorian assault, they were going to be sorely mistaken. The spriggans and the lieutenants commanding them advanced mercilessly using their strength in numbers and the beating sounds of their war drums to spur their aggression.

Both Druids cut down a few sidestreets and sprinted out toward a small park area hoping they could locate a familiar fey crossing they could use to escape through. Had they not been in such a panicked rush, they would have lamented the fact that their shop and tavern was likely going to be destroyed and ransacked by the invading faerie monsters. As they ran up a grassy parkway and swerved toward a thicket of trees, O'Doyle stopped and grabbed Kristen's arm to restrain her. She blinked and fixed him with an incredulous look, "What?"

O'Doyle raised a hand and put a finger to his lip, "Shh! Listen. We're not alone."

Both Druids froze and listened in silence while the din of the Fomorian invasion echoed in the near distance. Kristen tightened the grip on her staff and sucked in a breath just before a figure leapt down from the trees and swept around the grove in a ring of green smoke. The malevolent entity zipped by and separated the two Druids causing them to tumble away before it took on a familiar form. Kristen gasped at the young fey woman before them with fiery red hair and a green Celtic dress, "Leanansidhe!"

"No! Morgana!" O'Doyle corrected her as the witch gave a predatory smirk, "Well... well... what have we here? Two more outcasts fleeing the wrath of the Fomorian horde?"

"Get out of our way Morgana! We don't have time to deal with you right now!" Kristen growled until she felt a strong compulsion enchantment sweep over her and force her to her knees.

Morgana sneered, "Mind your tongue mortal. You will show me respect if you wish to live."

O'Doyle scowled but kept an even tone, "If you're not here to fight the Fomorians, this town isn't going to be safe for long. At the moment, we have a mutual enemy."

"You think I care about Balor and his little army?" Morgana cackled sadistically, "I'm here for you two Druids. Through you is my way to the knights."

"What do you want with them?" Kristen asked, "They aren't here, so you're wasting your time."

Morgana smiled, "Oh I disagree Miss Bloom. With you and the barkeep as my prisoners, the knights will come to me so that I can exact my final revenge."

"Are you freaking nuts? This isn't the time! The entire town is being overrun by Fomorian soldiers!" Kristen exclaimed.

"This is the perfect time!" Morgana shot back furiously, "Those five knights of yours ruined my crystal shard and dealt me an embarrassing defeat. Eliminating them is all I care about now and if it takes you two Druids to do it, then so be it."

The witch paused a moment as the other conscious soul of Leanne McClure fought back in a mental tug of war. "No Morgana! Please don't do this! It's over. You just have to move on."

The superior will of the ancient witch violently subdued that of her young host before taking control again and staring down the Druids, "Now... the two of you are coming with me."

"No chance!" O'Doyle cried as he tumbled sideways and picked up a large tree branch using it as an improvised means to focus his own Druidic powers. A cloud of vines erupted from the tip of the branch and swarmed the witch as Kristen rushed forward with her staff. Morgana raised a hand and took the hit from the vines before blasting them apart with an eldritch burst of her own dark magic. She did so just in time to dodge Kristen's melee attack and weave past several more follow up strikes with the staff weapon.

The younger Druid twirled her staff like a martial artist and swiped again, this time aiming low before turning around to try and catch Morgana in a whirling backstrike. To Kristen's surprise, Morgana caught the end of the staff easily and held it in place firmly. Before Kristen could register what happened, the witch pulled her in and viciously smashed her elbow against the side of the Druid's brow knocking her unconscious.

Morgana slowly turned to the older Druid before springing toward him with a feral shriek. O'Doyle rolled sideways and raised a druidic ward to shield himself as the witch spun sideways with inhuman speed and let loose a barrage of dark energy bolts. Being nowhere near as nimble as the younger Kristen, O'Doyle held on to his shield and took the hits before the last one broke through and knocked him backwards hard into a tree. As the older man slumped over in fading consciousness, he dropped the gym bag containing the two gargoyles and unzipped it. The two creatures scrambled out in fear and looked at the dire situation their two Druid friends were in.

"Go hide... find the knights... get help," O'Doyle slurred as he fell sideways and lost consciousness as well. The two gargoyles gave anguished squawks before catching sight of the fearful witch Morgana. The two little creatures darted off on all fours into the safety of the bushes to hide but Morgana paid them no mind as she loomed over the two defeated Druids.

"You two put up a good fight for mere mortals. Let's hope your five precious knights will give me more entertainment before I kill them."

With that, she took on her smokey form and swept up her two new prisoners into the skies. Now blinded by her pure spite and thirst for revenge, the malicious fey witch would be content to wait for the five knights until they returned, certain that they would be outraged by the disastrous fall of their home as well as the capture of their beloved mentor.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **All right. With one more confrontation lined up before the end game, it's time to call a brief author time-out. I've still got some revisions to finish up, plus I could use a short breather. I promise I won't pull a Neo Saban type hiatus so I'll get back to this in a week or two and move to start concluding this series. As always, thanks again for staying with me this far everyone!**


	57. Homecoming

**Episode 29: Part 1  
**

An unseasonably chilly autumn wind blew across Somerset Valley as a portal opened depositing the five Hibernian Knights back to their own home plane. The light of the mid morning lit up the skies and broke though the hazy smoke which continued to hang in the air over the now captured college town. After having spent the last few days in the Winter Realm, the five friends took a moment to acclimate back to the relatively warmer conditions of their world. Despite the nip in the air, they enjoyed the feeling of warm sunlight on their faces while it streamed through the red, gold, and orange leaves of the surrounding trees.

"Phew… it's good to be home," Quinton sighed contentedly while Stephen lazily stretched out nearby. As Laura took a moment to sun herself and warm up, Noelle stopped and looked around the glade they had emerged into. He remained silent for a bit before giving a frown, "Hey… this might sound kinda odd, but it's unusually quiet here. I don't hear any birds chirping, do you?"

The others exchanged puzzled looks and shrugged before Connor began walking over toward the end of the forest ridge they were standing on. It looked like they were at the edge of the valley in the hilly uplands overlooking the town, but that's not what concerned him. As he breathed the air, he thought he caught a faint hint of smoke or something burning. Upon reaching the lip of the valley hill, his heart stopped and his eyes went wide at the sight before he called his friends in alarm, "Hey! Everyone! Hurry!"

The others rushed over to join him and they froze, equally stunned at the horrific sight before them. Down below in the valley, they could see fire and plumes of smoke rising from their beloved town. If what they feared was true, then that meant Balor and his Fomorian armies had already mustered together to make their first move. All their friends, families, and loved ones would now be in danger and their minds began to race fearing the worst. Hopefully, the Fomorians were taking prisoners and the civilians there would be smart enough to surrender if that was the case. Still, the knights' homes, school, and familiar hangouts were now being put to the torch right before their eyes. In that moment, they felt powerless and unable to do anything against the Fomorians' insult.

Noelle put her hands to her mouth in fear while Laura scowled and hardened her features. She raised her ring as if she were going to call her armor, but Quinton caught her by the wrist and shook his head, "No Laura, we can't just rush in there headfirst swinging our swords like berserkers. If the entire Fomorian army is down there right now, we'll be badly outnumbered."

"Quinton is right," Stephen agreed with a grim expression, "We'll have to find a way to get closer and gauge their forces... or maybe find a hole in their defenses."

"But our friends and families are down there!" a visibly distraught Noelle protested, "We need to act!"

"We will," Connor said putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "But until we can get any help from the Four Courts, we'll have to be careful. We're fighting on our own right now so we need to find as many allies from town as possible. Come on."

Having been shaken from the traumatizing sight of their town burning, the other knights solemnly followed Connor down the edge of the valley uplands and began a long hike toward their conquered home.

* * *

Later that day, the five made their way to the edge of their hometown and found a platoon of heavily armed spriggan warriors patrolling the roads leading into the town proper. A few of the houses nearby appeared to be empty. Whether the occupants had been captured or successfully escaped, it was hard to tell. What was clear was that windows were smashed and several of the nearby buildings appeared to have been looted. The knights all stayed quiet and remained behind cover waiting for the spriggans to pass by.

"Damn... this is worse than I thought," Stephen muttered while surveying the ruined yards, "I can only imagine what they did downtown."

Everyone stopped as dark thoughts of the antique shop and pub being torn apart flashed through their minds. Noelle urged everyone forward, "Come on everyone. We have to keep moving. Maybe we can try to find Kristen or Mr. O'Doyle."

The knights continued on for a short way down the empty residential roads ducking a few patrols of Fomorian soldiers who marched by. To their dismay, it looked like a sizeable force was occupying their town and it was only seeming to grow larger by the hour. As they ducked behind cover again, Stephen took some time to observe some of the enemy troop sizes and movements before a rustling was heard in the nearby bushes. Everyone stopped and froze as the rustling grew closer and Quinton nearly yelped in surprise when two small figures emerged and clamped on to his legs in joy and relief.

"Scratch! Yum-Yum!" Laura exclaimed in a hushed voice as she bent down to greet the two little gargoyles with a smile, "What's happened? What are you doing all the way out here?"

Both creatures greeted her before waving their arms frantically and speaking in their own jabbering language. Connor took a moment to reach out and calm them down, "Whoah... slow down little guys. Noelle? You getting any of this?"

The Autumn Knight elbowed him gently with a sigh, "I may be good with animals, but I don't exactly speak gargoyle. Boys? What happened to Kristen? Where is she?"

Scratch and Yum Yum paused and rooted around on the ground for some props. They draped some large green leaves around their necks while picking up sticks and standing upright. For a moment, they began to pantomime two familiar people causing Laura to frown, "Kristen and O'Doyle?"

The gargoyles nodded before Scratch took some read leaves, put them down his head and made cackling noises with threatening gestures. Now was Quinton's turn to guess, "Something to do with Leanansidhe? She's here?"

Scratch nodded again before pantomiming a spell with his hands that caused Yum-Yum to topple over. At that, Scratch grabbed his companion's leg and began dragging him a few feet before the two creatures jumped up and began waving their paws again. Noelle sat back in thought and nodded, "Are you telling us Leanansidhe attacked? That she took Kristen and O'Doyle?"

The gargoyles hopped about and nodded pulling at their pant legs to urge them on. Connor took a moment to take stock of the situation before turning to his two little friends, "Do you think you two can lead us to them?"

The gargoyles continued to nod and chatter, encouraging their human friends to rush to the rescue. The Summer Knight turned towards the others, "This is really bad. The town is captured, and now this?"

"What do we do?" Quinton asked hesitantly.

Laura crossed her arms and paused with a long pensive look, "I say we rescue the Druids and get out of here. Even with their help, we can't hope to beat the entire Fomorian army here."

"I agree," Connor said grimly, "Kristen has helped carry our team this far. I'm not going to leave her and Mr. O'Doyle behind."

"And what about Leanansidhe?" Noelle asked in concern, "Or rather, Morgana? After what we did to her, she's not going to give this one up without a hell of a fight."

Connor took a deep calming breath and looked out to the ravaged neighborhood around them while. Smoke still hung in the skies and he nodded while watching it, "If that's what it takes... then we'll fight. We don't have much of a choice anymore, do we?"

"Well whatever we're going to do, we'd better do it soon," Stephen chimed in from his lookout post, "The spriggans should be coming this way again soon so we'd better clear out if we don't want to raise the alarm."

Quinton turned to the two gargoyles and urged them on, "Okay guys... you heard Stephen. It's time for you to do your thing."

The two creatures turned and scampered off into the brush with their human companions following close behind.

* * *

After some time of using their magical senses and intuition, Scratch and Yum-Yum led the knights around the edge of the town toward the other side of the valley. Upon reaching a densely wooded park just on the edge of town, the gargoyles stopped and sniffed the ground, trying to lock on to the scents of the two Druids. As the five knights ambled forward and took a moment to survey the area, they were stopped as several bolts of dark magic flew out of nowhere and exploded in front of them. The five recoiled back and shielded their faces until the smoke cleared before hearing a familiar voice, "That's far enough humans! I've been waiting for you."

Scratch and Yum-Yum scrambled for cover behind some trees while clutching each other fearfully while their human friends advanced forward to confront the fey witch. Connor waved his hand through the smoke as he emerged and called back sternly, "We're here Morgana! What have you done with our friends?"

The five halted and stood paralyzed in shock as they looked at the sight before them. In the near distance just ahead of them, both Kristen and Mr. O'Doyle stood balancing precariously on a high tree branch. Their arms and legs were bound and their mouths were gagged. Even more distressing, thick rope-like vines had been tied around their necks like nooses and strung up from a higher branch above. If the branch the Druids were standing on were to break of give out, they would be in serious trouble. It was quite possible those vines were thick enough to strangle them to death like a hangman's gallow.

The entity known as Morgana stepped from the shadows of a nearby tree underneath her victims and lazily leaned against the trunk. While they knights had foiled her plans to recover some of her lost powers before, she was still in possession of the body of Leanansidhe: her student, the-ex general of the Fomorian army, and Connor's lost childhood friend. From deep inside, Leanansidhe pleaded with her mistress and pushed desperately to try and psychically restrain her, _"Morgana, why are you doing this? There are other ways to recover your strength! Fighting the knights and killing those Druids isn't going to accomplish anything."_

Her ego was forced back down as Morgana took control with an inward snarl, "Silence girl! I don't care about that! All that matters is that I get revenge. Those insolent mortals have crossed me one to many times. For them to continue insulting me and defying me... it has to end now! I will make an example of them to all the Faerie Realm!"

The witch raised her eyes and gave a sadistic smile over toward the horrified knights, "I hope you don't mind my little arrangement. I thought we'd all have some fun today."

"Fun?" Laura exclaimed in outrage, "I think you're sick in the head! Let the Druids go now!"

"You will not make demands of me Winter Knight," Morgana sneered as she glanced at her two captives, "I honestly don't care whether those two live or die. What I'm more concerned with is you five."

Stephen shook his head incredulously, "Us? Why have you brought us here like this?"

Morgana bared her teeth in a grin, "Isn't it obvious? I've come to eliminate you once and for all. You've been a thorn in the side of Balor, you've interfered in the politics of the Faerie Realm, and you continue to stop me at every turn. It's time that you human mortals learned your place. You think that just because you have magic armor and weapons that you are the equals of the rest of us fey? Without your powers, you'd be just like the rest of your miserable kind... ignorant, cowardly, and helpless. How arrogant you five are."

Connor growled before calling out, "Leanne! I know you're in there! If you can hear me, then I need your help! Please!"

He was halted as Morgana swiftly drew her sword and pointed it toward him, "Enough Summer Knight! She can't hear you. You can't hope to undermine me like that so give it up. She will not help you."

Quinton gritted his teeth as he continued to watch the Druids teetering on the branch, "You have us here now Morgana! If you wanted to fight with us, then let's stop wasting time! Just leave the Druids out of it!"

Morgana sneered and laughed, "You're right Spring Knight. I might as well take those two out of the equation, shouldn't I?"

She gestured above her and cast a spell. The vine nooses tightened and the branch holding the weight of the Druids broke. Both Kristen and O'Doyle gasped as the rope tightened and they fell downward. While their necks had not been broken by the fall, the vines around their throats squeezed the life out of them as they dangled helplessly in midair.

"No!" the knights cried out in horror as Morgana laughed sadistically and stepped forward. She raised her sword arm and channeled a column of dark necrotic magic within in before turning on her human adversaries.

"And now that the Druids are out of the way, the five of you will join them next!"


	58. Words Unspoken

**Episode 29: Part 2  
**

Morgana swept her blade around and unleashed a powerful wave of dark energy which surged toward its target but it was deflected away as the five knights brandished their rings in unified response to call upon their powers. The area lit up as colorful elemental light radiated out and shielded the young heroes while Morgana's opening attack harmlessly exploded along the ground. The five drew their weapons and raised them together, "Five swords, one heart! Hibernian Knights to arms!"

As they parted and fanned out to do battle, Morgana sprinted forward to meet them. Connor was the first to lock swords with her while Laura and Quinton followed up, trying to flank attack the witch in turn. While the three clashed with Morgana, Stephen circled around and tried to line up a shot with his bow while Noelle broke off and charged toward their two Druid allies choking to death on the vine gallows. As she rushed forward, Noelle charged up a bit of orange wind energy and threw her curved blade in a sidearm motion towards the vines themselves. The whirling boomerang blade arced upward and sliced through the thick vine ropes freeing Kristen and O'Doyle from their predicament. Before either of them could hit the ground, Noelle had called her faerie horse and swept in to catch them both.

As they galloped just clear of the battlefield, Noelle set them both down and cut their bonds. "Thank goodness! Are you two okay?"

Kristen gave a gasp and rubbed at her raw neck. She nodded while sucking in a few breaths, "Noelle… thank you… I thought we were goners."

The Autumn Knight placed a reassuring hand on her mentor's shoulder, "Everything is going to be alright. I need to get back to the fight and help the others."

O'Doyle took a moment to catch his own breath before wheezing, "Be careful. Morgana is completely unhinged now. There's no telling how far she'll go to take you guys down."

"That's not going to happen," Noelle replied firmly before turning to Scratch and Yum-Yum who had followed her and waited nearby, "I want you two to look after Kristen and Mr. O. Think you can do that for me?"

The two little creatures saluted and stood guard over the Druids while Noelle spurred her horse back to join the battle. Across the field, Stephen fired a hail of Silver Starburst arrows which Morgana easily deflected away before locking swords with Laura again. She laughed scornfully as she parried the rapier away and kicked Quinton aside before dodging another sweeping slash from Connor, "Do you stupid children really think you can stand up to me?"

She charged her weapon and lashed it out like a bladed whip and slashed Connor, Quinton, and Laura, knocking them all over. No sooner did she recover her blade, she turned and snatched another arrow out the air which Stephen had just fired. The Silver Knight paused in shock at the sight while Morgana sniffed and snapped the arrow in two. Had she not caught the arrow, it would have gone straight through her skull, but she didn't seem perturbed at all.  
"And you... you want to be a cowardly archer? I know how to deal with you."

She swept her hand out and blasted Stephen backward with a smokey jet of dark purple magic. Stephen slammed into a tree and fell over as his armor dispelled. As Morgana gloated for a minute, she turned to see Noelle charge back into the battle leveling her sword in a cavalry charge. The witch stood passively watching as the Autumn Knight neared and the subconscious voice of Leanansidhe pleaded from within, _"Please stop this Morgana! Enough! You don't have to fight them anymore... just please, stay your sword."_

"Very well," Morgana replied to herself while she lowered her weapon and drew upon her dark sorcery again. Just as Noelle neared to try to take Morgana's head off in a passing slash, the ground erupted from underneath, bursting up in a high uneven mound of rocks and soil. The faerie mount cried out in fear as it stumbled sideways and threw Noelle off its back. The other three rushed to their comrade's side as Quinton and Laura helped her rise again, "Are you okay?"

"Damn! I was this close," Noelle growled in frustration before nodding. As they regrouped, Connor gripped his sword and leveled it.

"Okay everyone... I think it's time we use that handy little gift Queen Titania gave us."

Each of the four friends raised their blades and focused their wills to call upon the power that the Summer Queen had granted them from her golden life apple. From where she stood, Morgana was blinded by a bright golden light which engulfed the knights and reinvigorated them with renewed power. Like before, their armor had took on a more antiquated and impressive look with golden trim, Elvish script, and colorful twinkling auras surrounding them.

"Sidhe Armor..." Morgana smiled menacingly while sizing up her adversaries, "Impressive. Titania has given you power worthy of the Elven lords, but it won't be enough. You children still don't know how to wield such might."

The witch sprung forward and gasped in surprise as the four engaged her together and used teamwork to block her attacks. Each time she tried to force her way through, the knights hammered at her guard and forced her back on defense. As they moved to encircle her, Morgana snarled, "I've had enough of this. If force of arms won't work, I'll do the next best thing."

She raised her arms and called forth a powerful twister of dark debilitating magic and punishing wind which was centered upon her. The knights staggered in surprise under the weakening effects of the powerful sorcery and tried to keep their balance, but it was no use. The ancient witch's mastery of spellcraft was too much and the cyclone of evil magic overpowered them. All four were hurled to the ground and scattered as the cyclone subsided. Laura, Quinton, and Noelle rolled over limply as their armor dispelled.

Morgana levitated backward into the air and swooped down upon the vulnerable heroes, preparing run them through with her sword. Just as she neared, her sword was deflected aside as Connor darted in from the side and parried the strike with his own sword. Using the momentum of his charge, he put his shoulder into the witch and sent them both tumbling over into the ground.

Morgana screeched in rage and spun to her feet, exchanging a few more blows with the Summer Knight, trying to drive him back with her dark magic. Instead, she gasped as Connor used the last of his Sidhe power to push through the dark rippling waves of debilitating magic and cut through her final ward. As the golden power flared and winked out, the Summer Knight channeled it into one great cut that knocked Morgana's weapon aside and blasted her backwards. While the weakened witch struggled to rise, Connor fell in exhaustion to one knee and leaned on his sword to prop him up while his armor dispelled.

Morgana slowly picked herself up and gave a murderous look to the knight who had dealt that blow. "You will pay for that Summer Knight... now that you're defenseless, I'm going to..."

She halted and convulsed for a moment while holding her sides and swaying slightly. She head heard growling quietly, "No... no! What do you think you're doing you stupid girl?

She staggered again before lowering her arms and taking several deep breaths. As she brushed back her flowing red hair, the witch slowly approached Connor speaking with a a softer voice, "Something I should have done a long time ago."

From where they lay on the ground, the other knights watched in wonder as Morgana's ego temporarily retreated and the consciousness of Leanansidhe regained control of her body. Connor panted tiredly and looked up as she came closer, seeming to fight every step of the way against the malicious spirit of Morgana inside her. "Leanne? Is that... is that you?"

She drew closer before slowly kneeling down in front of him, face to face. Her features were worn and exhausted, and though she looked anguished, she graced him with a smile and a nod, "Yes Connor... it's me. I don't have long, and I'm going to need your help."

"I don't understand," he said shaking his head, "What happened to Morgana? Why..."

He was silenced as she gently placed a finger on his lips, "It is taking every ounce of my strength to force Morgana down and keep control of my body. I should never have trusted her, and let her try to regain her strength within me. I've done really horrible things. I've given up everything. I've hurt your friends, and what's worse... I almost let her kill you. I couldn't let that happen. I won't let it happen anymore."

"What are you saying Leanne?"

She took several deep breaths, focusing on mentally warding off Morgana before speaking again, "Connor, I need you to stop Morgana. I need you to free us both from all this."

She reached down and turned the tip of his blade so that it was aimed right at her torso, "I don't have long Connor. You need to strike now and defeat Morgana while I can still contain her. Please... I'm begging you."

"No! I won't do this!" he cried in horrified outrage while trying to drop his weapon, "I won't let you sacrifice yourself like this! There has to be another way!"

She gripped his wrist and held it firm as the sword remained in place, "There isn't, and you know it. We don't have time to find another way. It's too late for me... and this is the least I can do to help make things right."

Connor turned his head in anguish, "We were friends Leanne! We still are! I spent all this time struggling to try and find you... to bring you home from all this!"

"And you will," she said gently reaching out and touching his cheek, "You are my friend too. I'm ready to do what I have to in order to protect you. I'm ready to make up for all the evil I've done... and I'm ready to try and find my way home."

The Summer Knight sat holding his blade, unable to follow through as hot tears began stinging his eyes. Leanansidhe fought off one more mental assault from Morgana before giving a serene nod and taking matters into her own hands. She fell on the blade instead. The other knights' eyes went wide in shock while Connor gave a horrified cry. As they knelt transfixed in place, a terrible dark smoke erupted from Leanansidhe's body and swirled around violently giving an enraged scream that she had been deprived of her physical vessel. Morgana's essence violently swept around the area before twisting skyward and disappearing from sight, deciding to flee the warzone of Somerset Valley for good.

Once Morgana's malevolent spirit had departed, Connor caught his mortally wounded friend as she slowly sunk forward into his arms and slumped over. As the other knights slowly regained control of their bodies and recovered enough, they sat up and made their way over to where Connor knelt holding the dying fey girl who had once been their enemy. As a pool of blood stained her green dress and continued to grow, Leanansidhe gave a weak smile to Connor while he brushed aside some of her hair and touched her cheek. "Is it over? Is Morgana finally gone?"

He nodded sadly, "Yeah... everyone is safe again... thank you."

"I'm glad then," she sighed tiredly as she struggled to keep her eyes focused on the Summer Knight, "Connor... I wanted to thank you too."

"For what?"

"For not giving up on me," she said as the other knights solemnly gathered around nearby, "You still believed there was good in me, even when no one else did... including myself."

"I guess I knew you better than you thought, huh?" he sniffled as he tried his best to keep a steady face.

Leanansidhe smiled at that as her eyes grew heavier, "Make me one last promise Connor... I want you and the other knights to end this war with Balor. Bring peace to our home and to the Faerie Realm for good."

"I will," he replied with conviction.

When she heard that, Leanansidhe smiled and closed her eyes while leaning her cheek into his hand. Everyone remained quiet as the former Fomorian general took one last breath and lay in peaceful stillness on the grassy ground. Connor hugged her for a long moment before gently kissing her forehead and laying her back down. Moments later, Leanansidhe's body began to shimmer and glow with light before dispersing in a cloud of golden light motes that faded away on the wind. Connor lowered his head and covered his face. As Quinton and Noelle both knelt down and put comforting arms around his shoulders, he trembled and began to weep bitterly while choking back a few sobs. "Balor is going to pay for this... I swear it!"

By now, Kristen and Mr. O'Doyle had recovered their senses and quietly approached the somber scene while holding the two little gargoyles. Stephen nodded toward them and then back to the scene, "Everyone... it's time to go. The Fomorian patrols will be on their way. If we're going to have any hope of retaking our town, we have to retreat back to the Faerie Realm and regroup."

Connor took a moment to wipe his eyes and compose himself before looking up. To his surprise, he saw Laura standing over him extending a hand to help him up. "I know how you're feeling. You want to grieve for your friend, and we will... but now is not the time."

He reluctantly nodded and took her hand before rising, "All right..."

For the moment, Laura took charge and gave a nod to the rest of the party, "Okay, let's get on with it then! We've got a major battle to plan. If the Elves can get their acts together, they're going to need our help."

"Getting captured by Fomorians again isn't exactly on my To Do list either," Kristen nodded as she took up her staff and pointed to an escape route out of town, "There's no more time to lose. Let's get a move on!"

As the group fled from the battlefield before the spriggan patrols came to investigate, Connor took one more fleeting glance backwards. Whatever lay in store for these final upcoming battles with the Fomorians, he would be certain that Balor would be brought to justice for this tragic crime.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **To the Guest reader comments in the previous chapters, I've already decided on my next series after Hibernian Knights and it won't use either theme. The Greco-Roman theme has already been used by a lot of other writers but I still like the idea of Egyptian mythology. There's a lot of unique ideas to play with. Unless someone beats me to it, I may figure out a way to make that work in the far future. Thanks for the suggestion though!**


	59. Unity

**Episode 30: Part 1  
**

After a hasty retreat from the captured town of Somerset Valley, the knights and their Druid allies returned to the safety of the Faerie Realm and took refuge in the city of _Solas_ in Summer. As negotiations continued between the fey monarchs of the Four Courts, the humans took the chance to recover from their harrowing experiences and rest within the relative safety of the Summer Palace.

Kristen and Mr. O'Doyle had already been busy attending the conference with a delegation of human Druids that had volunteered to act as mediators. They had taken Stephen, Quinton, and Noelle along for added support leaving the others to rest in the royal gardens. On that particularly warm sunny afternoon, Connor Walsh sat outside by one of the large fountains of the Summer Palace looking at his reflection.

Despite the sweet smell of flowers, the balmy air and the bright warm sunlight on his face, he glumly sat running his fingers along the cool water, watching his reflection ripple in the pool. He knew he had to try and rest his body and mind… especially after such a draining fight in Somerset Valley. No matter what he did, his mind kept going back to the final minutes of life for Leanansidhe… no, Leanne McClure. He thought of the promise he had made her as well as the consequences of that battle. In a way, they had defeated Morgana in a decisive battle, but it still didn't feel like much of a victory. Leanne was dead, their hometown was still captured, and the Fomorian army was likely continuing to mass its forces. If the Four Courts were going to unite, they would need to do it soon or risk fighting a battle on their own soil.

As Connor dried his hands, he sighed and looked up to the sunny skies, trying in vain to clear his mind before he felt movement at his side. He glanced down and found the two gargoyles Scratch and Yum-Yum coming to curl up beside him and offer some comfort to their unhappy human friend. The Summer Knight gave a small reluctant smile and gave both creatures a gentle pat on the head, "Hey… thanks guys. I'm afraid I'm not really in the mood to play right now. Hope you don't mind."

The two gargoyles didn't seem to object and quietly curled up next to him instead. As Connor gave them another scratch behind the ears, he heard soft footsteps approach and a familiar voice call out to him. "If you're not in the mood to play, would you at least mind some company?"

He looked up to see Laura enter the garden and approach the fountain. The Winter Knight wore a serene expression and sat down beside him while he gave a shrug and nodded.

"How are you holding up?"

Connor looked to the waters of the fountain and the reflecting light from the sun above, "I don't know. I've been better. How are the official talks going?"

Laura leaned back and sunned herself, "Quinton stopped in earlier for a quick moment to tell me things were looking hopeful. Without our mobile phones, we'll have to get our news the slow way."

Connor nodded and continued to sit glumly until Laura folded her arms, "Are you done trying to avoid the real issue here?"

Connor turned slowly and glared at her, "Why? Did you come to tell me to suck it up and pull myself together? To take things seriously and to stop acting sorry for myself?"

"Not unless you want me to," Laura replied defensively without backing down, "Did it occur to you that maybe I came because I was concerned about you? You might not believe it, but I do consider you a friend."

Connor stopped and looked down in shame as Laura continued in a gentler tone, "I thought I might be able to help… considering I had been in a similar situation."

The Summer Knight let out a long sigh as he stood up and walked a few paces, "I'm sorry Laura. I didn't mean to go off on you like that. That wasn't fair of me."

The Winter Knight reached over and picked Scratch up before placing him on her lap, "You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened. There was no other choice.

"I know that, but I can't help but beat myself up about this either. I failed Leanne."

Laura shook her head, "No. You didn't. Even to the end, you had done everything you possibly could to bring her back over to our side, and you did. If she didn't take the actions she did, it's possible Morgana might have killed us all."

"I know that, but that's not what I was getting at," Connor frowned to himself, "In that final minute, Leanne looked me right in the eye and asked me to end her and Morgana… and I couldn't. I knew it was wrong, and I didn't want to do it, but I knew it had to be done… and I choked. Leanne asked me to help end this war, but now I'm beginning to question if I really have the guts to do that. To do what needs to be done, especially if it involves a tough choice like that."

Laura remained quiet as he stopped pacing and turned back toward her, "That's one thing I admire and envy about you Laura. You know how to make the tough choices. Regardless of whether or not you're right or wrong, you still have the courage to do it."

The Winter Knight wrung her hands and looked down thoughtfully, "You know, when Stephen talked to me after killing Sir Tamlin, he told me to think of Tamlin's death as a sort of test for me. Tamlin allowed himself to die for the greater good in order to help the Four Courts unify. Leanne sacrificed herself in order to defeat Morgana and protect us. They did those things knowing that there are a lot of people counting on us to do our duty and defeat Balor. If we're going to do that, we need to be stronger and get through this. That's what Tamlin and Leanansidhe expect of us."

Connor stood in silence absorbing all of Laura's words. He closed his eyes and took a long moment letting the sun touch his face before giving a resolved nod, "You're right Laura… and thank you. That was some good insight."

"Stephen has his moments," Laura admitted with a small smile as she rose from the edge of the fountain, "You'll actually have to thank him."

Connor smiled slightly and walked over toward her, "I guess I'll be generous and give you some credit this time."

He extended his arms and halted a moment, "Umm, I hope you don't mind…"

Laura smiled slightly and nodded, "I'll make an exception this time, especially if it involves you humbling yourself towards me."

The Summer Knight laughed gently and put his arms around her in a grateful hug, "Just don't change too much Laura Gremory. I've grown kinda fond of you, so thanks for being such a good friend."

She snorted in amusement while returning Connor's hug, "Yeah well… if I have to be honest, you're not half bad either."

Their warm little moment was immediately ruined as the two knights heard laughter and other footsteps approaching. Noelle, Quinton, and Stephen entered the gardens wearing amused grins as Quinton called out jokingly, "Aww, see? Those two actually do love each other."

Both Connor and Laura let go of each other and cleared their throats in embarrassment while exchanging a stiff handshake. Stephen raised an amused eyebrow toward Connor while Noelle gave her fellow female teammate a playful nudge, "Hey watch it girl. Connor over here is spoken for already."

Laura rolled her eyes while feigning exasperation, "Believe me, you can keep him."

Quinton smiled and crossed his arms, "Anything important we missed here?"

Connor shook his head and put an arm around his friend, "No. Laura was actually cheering me up and giving some wise words too. Stephen, thank you as well."

"Err… any time," the Silver Knight shrugged in mild confusion while Laura graced him with a smile.

As the moment passed, Laura looked to the others hopefully, "So, any word on the treaty?"

Stephen cleared his throat and replied with a proud smile, "As a matter of fact, there is. The Four Courts have agreed to a temporary peace treaty. They've also agreed to form an allied front against Balor's army."

"That's terrific!" Laura exclaimed in joy while Quinton continued.

"They already know Balor is massing his forces in Somerset Valley and he wants to use the fey crossings there to invade the Faerie Realm. The current plan is a preemptive attack from our side. Strike Balor first and drive the enemy back underground. Come tomorrow, we're going to be leaving _Solas_ and headed out to the frontlines to help the Alliance army."

Connor nodded and clenched his fist in determination, "All right. This is what we've been struggling for all along. Now it's time to retake our home and end this war for good."

Noelle placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Are you sure you're going to be okay? We know you were still pretty shaken up about Leanansidhe."

"I'll be all right," he said quietly while casting a glance toward Laura, "Of course I'm still upset about it, but I got a nice little reminder of how to put that in perspective for the coming battle."

The Winter Knight nodded and turned toward the exit of the garden leading back inside the palace, "Well come on then everyone. If we're going to recapture our town, we've got a lot of preparations to make, don't we?"

* * *

Back in the ruined town of Somerset Valley, a horde of Fomorian soldiers made camp in and around the populated areas of the settlement. In the buildings that weren't completely torched or ransacked, the captured citizens of the town and students of the university cowered within. While many people had succeeded in fleeing the town during the invasion, many more had been left stranded and were caught by surprise in the attack. For now, the spriggan army kept the population rounded up and under guard while deciding what to do with them later.

In one of the auditorium buildings of the local university, a fearful crowd of people sat huddled in misery while their Fomorian captors swept through to make certain the people were subdued. As the evil fey made their rounds, Eliza McConnel picked up the small guitar she had carried with her and began to quietly strum a few chords. She was hoping a little music might help take an edge of everyone's nerves. Nearby, she saw Quinton's girlfriend Kayla wrapping a blanket around her to keep warm. The two had spoken quietly between themselves over the last two days over whether or not their knightly friends were going to return and help them. While they both held out hope and figured that the knights were off taking care of something important, they couldn't help but wonder where their friends had gone.

At the sounds of the stringed instrument, several spriggans turned abruptly and closed in on her. They gave menacing growls and roughly hauled her to her feet. Despite the intimidation attempts of the foot soldiers, the young woman stubbornly faced them down and held fast to her instrument as they tried to pull it from her hands. When another spriggan tried to put her in a chokehold, Eliza slipped free and wove under the monster's guard to give him a swift left hook to the chin. "Let go of me you creep! You're not getting my guitar!"

A few more spriggans hurried over to break up the scuffle but a young man in dark slacks with a shirt and tie intervened to help cover Eliza. As Eliza saw the man grab one of the spriggan's arms and toss it aside with an arm throw, she noticed he had a police badge clipped to the side of his belt. As more soldiers closed in, he reached for the pistol at his side but the fight was interrupted when they heard an angry voice shout out, "What's the meaning of this? What's going on here?"

Everyone stopped and turned to see a fair Elven looking man with pale features. He wore fine red clothes and a red brimmed hat upon his head. As he closed, the other spriggans fell back and sprung to attention, withering under his scowl, "Can't you idiots do anything right?"

One of the spriggans lieutenants snarled something in their own tongue before the red capped general Seamus gave a nod of understanding. He turned to Eliza and the police officer before scowling back at his own troops, "If the human wants to play a song, then let her. It's not going to make their chances of escape any more likely. If these two civilians are giving you enough trouble, then your troops really are useless. We don't have time for this nonsense!"

After berating his own troops, Seamus turned to Eliza with a narrow scowl, "And you two... don't get any ideas. If you try to cause trouble... well, pray it doesn't come to that."

Just then, an alarm was raised as the sounds of several soldiers were heard clattering by outside, many of the monsters' voices sounded troubled as several horns blew the Fomorians to attention. Seamus growled and clenched his fists, "Damn it all! What is it now?"

The redcap turned on his heel and quickly marched out of the auditorium building while the deflated spriggan guards went back to their posts at the doors. Eliza gave a deep sigh of relief and turned to the older policeman who had saved her, "I'm sorry I dragged you into that, but thank you for the help Officer..."

"Detective Pierce. You can just call me Damon," he said with a kind smile while shaking hands with Eliza, "And don't worry about it. I'm just doing my job. Serve and protect, right?"

Eliza gave a small smile as they sat back down and she tuned her instrument, "What do you think is going on out there Damon?"

He shrugged and kept his hand near his pistol while watching the spriggans, "No idea, but if the monsters are worried, I guess that's a good thing. To be honest, I've been more worried about my girlfriend Kristen. I'm hoping she was able to get away from town during the monster attack."

Eliza's eyes went wide in surprise, "Wait... you don't mean Kristen Bloom, do you? The girl who owns that antique shop in town?"

Damon nodded, "Yeah, that's her. Do you know Kristen?"

"I do," Eliza replied, "I'm actually friends with some of the local students who uh... work for her."

Damon rubbed his hands and sighed, "Well I guess there's no point in us fretting over something that's beyond our control right now. What we should do is try to find a way out of here."

"You have a plan?" Eliza asked in a hushed whisper as she finished tuning her guitar.

Damon shook his head, "No. Still working on it. But until I do, maybe it's best if you try playing that guitar of yours. I think we could all use a little pick me up right now, don't you think?"

Eliza gave a nod and took a deep breath before she plucked the strings and began to play.

* * *

Meanwhile on the flat grassy plains leading into Somerset Valley, a large Faerie army assembled in the morning sunlight. The combined forces of the Four Courts grouped together into large battalions forming an impressive field army. Amid the glittering light at their backs, the pennons and flags of the Courts fluttered in the breeze: Summer red, Spring green, Winter blue, and Autumn Orange. At the center of the array of flags was a banner with five silver stars symbolizing the unity of Faerie as well as the aid of some of their human allies like the knights and the Druid orders.

Having called on their armor, the five knights cantered out at the head of the army on their own fey mounts while watching in amazement the force they had helped to bring together. Leading at the rear were the two high generals commanding in the name of the Summer and Winter Courts, Generals Lugh and Nuada. In the frontline, Lords Gwydion and Sigurd led the columns of Summer and Winter infantry. Both forces marches side by side and formed the powerful center of the Alliance battle line. Along the flanks were companies of centaurs from Spring armed with lances while on the other end of the army, the Erlking of Autumn and his savage horsemen trotted forward, eager to charge.

As the Alliance army advanced forward into range of the town, they halted as they were met by their opposition. Standing arrayed before them was a large horde of Fomorian warriors made up of spriggans and lesser savage monsters. At the head of that monstrous army, General Seamus lumbered out in his true troll form, commanding in the name of Lord Balor. Black flags with the red eye motif of the warlord were raised and held defiantly against their fey enemies on the other side of the battlefield. What they lacked in discipline, the Fomorians were going to compensate with numbers and sheer savagery.

Upon making contact with the Fomorian horde, the Alliance army halted and took several minutes to reorder their forces and adjust for the coming pitched battle. While they waited, Stephen made an observation and gave a quiet snort, "Neither side is sending out heralds or messengers. It looks like it's going to be one of those take no prisoners battles."

"Then that just means we'll have to stick together out there and protect each other, right?" Noelle said trying to encourage her comrades.

Quinton nodded and looked out past the formidable ranks of Fomorian soldiers toward the town, "Hang on Kayla. I'm coming."

As the Alliance forces finished up their adjustments, two more riders trotted up to join the knights and position themselves behind them. Kristen and Mr. O'Doyle sat atop their own mounts dressed in their green Druid robes and carrying their staffs into battle. Their mentor gave a wink, "You didn't think I'd let you go off into battle without me, did you? This is my home too."

"Glad to have you along," Laura smiled as she and the other knights drew their swords. The five trotted out at the head of the Alliance forces and formed a wedge formation to lead the charge. In the rear, Alliance archers loaded their arrows and drew back their bows while the cavalry at the wings waited impatiently. The Erlking gave a friendly nod toward Noelle and raised his spear before she replied with a respectful salute of her sword too.

Laura cleared her throat, "I guess this is the time for some kind of heroic speech. Connor? You want to field this? This sort of firing up the troops thing isn't exactly my forte."

The Summer Knight nodded and hesitantly trotted forward. He took a deep breath and raised his sword before the whole Alliance army behind them, "To all of you fighting on behalf of the Faerie Courts, hear me! The Warlord Balor is meeting us here to throw all of his might at us. I know some of you might be afraid and uncertain of the strength of this alliance we've built. But you must remember why we're here and what we're fighting for. We must stand firm and put an end to this war with the Fomorians which is hundreds of years overdue... and I tell you we will. I'm proud to see all of my friends and allies standing together in pursuit of that goal. Now let's drive the Fomorian Host from our world and retake our home!"

The Alliance gave a cheer as the Summer Knight leveled his sword toward the enemy and the other knights formed up alongside him, "Forward!"


	60. Bladestorm

**Episode 30: Part 2  
**

The flat plains just outside the town of Somerset Valley thundered under the pounding of horses' hooves and the boots of thousands of Faerie soldiers surging forward. The lighter armed Fomorian horde responded and charged forward in a mass of ferocious screams and cries while closing the distance between them and the Elven armies. From the rear ranks of the Alliance line, hundreds of archers loosed volleys of arrows which filled the skies and rained down on the monstrous enemies that approached. Several walls of arrows crashed down on the Fomorians mowing down countless raiders but the horde pressed on in berserk fury. They had come to fight and lusted for unrestrained violence against their fellow fey enemies.

The Summer and Winter infantry halted and formed a combined phalanx of spears and swords around their shield wall. The spriggans crashed into the front line like a terrible wave biting, hacking, and pushing to try and break the disciplined Elven ranks. Despite the shock of the assault, the disciplined Elven soldiers stood their ground and held their dense formations. On the wings, the centaurs and Wylde Hunters clashed against squadrons of Fomorian cavalry. Furious whinnies of the horses echoed as the sounds of clashing steel, colliding bodies, and war-cries filled the air. At the center of the melee, the five Hibernian Knights hacked and slashed their way through the press of bodies, trying to forge ahead and break the enemy's spirits.

As he watched the advancing front ranks of the Alliance forces press ahead, Seamus growled as the Fomorian line wavered. From his vantage point he could see the Elves following the lead of the five human knights in the front and center. Searing flares of fire ripped through several ranks of spriggans as Connor spurred his mount and sliced through his enemies with his blazing sword. At his sides Laura and Stephen fought in close order. The Silver Knight sat atop his mount shooting down enemy troops with the pinpoint accuracy of his bow while Laura waved her icicle rapier and channeled her rings wintry power. The frigid air spread forward and slowed enemy soldiers with debilitating icy energy making them more vulnerable to attack.

Meanwhile, Quinton and Noelle covered the flanks of the knights' advance. The Spring Knight swept his sword and sickle around in whirling strikes while throwing spriggans back with bursts of thundering electricity while Noelle swept aside her opponents with powerful gusts of wind that knocked them over or disarmed them. Any foot soldiers the knights didn't cut down were taken down by the two Druids riding close behind. While Kristen rode in formation, she kept her staff raised radiating a green shield of energy to help ward off attacks from the knights. As she focused her power on protecting the others, O'Doyle swung his staff like a club, bashing in the skulls of any Fomorians that tried to attack them. While he hammered away at the stray enemies, the other knights turned and noticed before giving the old Druid a cheer, "O'Doyle rules! O'Doyle rules!"

From the other end of the field, Seamus watched as the advance guard of the Fomorians buckled and began falling back against the steady onslaught of the Alliance army. He turned to one of his lieutenants and waved the secondary line forward, "Send in the reserves. The Alliance front line is close to overextending itself. If they're tired, we'll try and turn their exposed side."

"What about their archers and cavalry? They're tearing us apart out there," the lieutenant said.

Seamus reached for a bone horn at his side that had been given to him by Balor, "You let me worry about that. I've got something that will keep them occupied. Now get me a weapon."

The redcap stretched his neck with a few cracks before a spriggan soldier came over and handed him a large glaive. As Seamus began to walk forward, his lieutenant stopped and called out, "General, are you sure about going out there? You'll put yourself at risk."

The troll snarled and gripped his polearm tightly, "Lord Balor is depending on us to keep this ground secure. We might not have been able to attack the Faerie Realm first, but I will not let the Alliance army take this field."

"But General, the knights..."

"To hell with the knights!" Seamus roared furiously, "They've made a fool of me enough, but no more. One way or another, I will deal with them for good. This ends today!"

The redcap joined in with a fresh wave of Fomorian soldiers and led them forward to check the advance of the Alliance forces. As the knights drove back the first wave of Fomorian enemies, they caught sight of Seamus and wheeled their mounts around to urge a continued attack. Seamus smirked and slowly put the horn to his lips before giving a powerful blow. The sound of the horn trumpeted out and echoed across the valley, reverberating along the hills and mountains. Moments later, the Alliance forces were surprised as several towering figures erupted from the grounds before them. As the earth and soil sloughed off the giants, the knights and their allies could see they were colossal humanoid monsters carrying large morningstar maces.

The evil fey giants had purplish skin covered at random by patchwork pieces of chainmail armor. Each of them bore a steel patch over one of their eyes in resemblance of their blinded lord and they gnashed their teeth menacingly. The knights immediately reared their mounts and paused the advance as the cyclopean giants formed a battle line to give their Fomorian allies time to regroup.

"What in the bloody hell are those things?" Laura exclaimed in dread as the titanic enemies approached.

"Cyclops! Cyclops!" came the frantic shouts of many Elvish soldiers in the Alliance army.

"Not good!" Stephen shouted as he waved to their allies, "Spread out! Spread the formations! Archers focus fire!"

In no time flat, the giant cyclops were among them and they brought down their maces in thundering blows. The earth shook as the giants smashed their weapons down into the ranks of their smaller Elven foes. The Alliance line reeled and began to buckle for a moment as scores of allied soldiers were sent flying with the sweeping blows of the towering Fomorians. The Alliance archers turned their fire on the giants and unloaded volley after volley of arrows, every once in a while killing a cyclops. Still, at that rate, it would not be enough.

"Crap! What do we do now?" Quinton shouted through gritted teeth as the knights rode through the chaotic melee of the battle. If this kept up, the center of the Alliance line would be shattered and vulnerable.

Connor growled and raised his sword as he spurred his mount forward, "We hamstring these giants and cut them down to size. Stephen?"

"Way ahead of you!" the Silver Knight called as he fire his bow to get the attention of another cyclops. While he did that, the other knights split off and rode across the length of the field.

Here and there, they'd trample a spriggan straggler while they wove through the clubs and legs of the giant one eyed Fomorians. Once in position, they counterattacked and rode close to the cyclops' ankles while slashing with their blades. Because the giants wore no armor or protection there, they roared as the human knights rode down the line wounding them and crippling their mobility. Several of the cyclops staggered or collapsed to one knee, writhing in pain which gave some of the Alliance spearmen time to regroup and strike at the downed titans.

Meanwhile, Stephen picked at some of the cyclops in the center with his arrows. Once he had gotten their attention, he fired several well placed shots right in their vulnerable eyes to blind them completely. Upon being struck, several of the giants staggered and swung their weapons in a blind fury occasionally slamming them into their own allies instead. As Stephen rode around to rejoin his friends, he saw Quinton paralyze several cyclops with his Spring Thunder attacks and saw them topple backwards getting knocked back by Noelle's follow up wind attack.

Despite foiling the surprise giant attack, the Alliance army had been pummeled and momentarily disorganized. That moment of weakness was taken advantage of by the fresh wave of Fomorian backup troops who moved in to try and counterattack. At their head was the fearsome troll Seamus who waved his weapon and howled a fierce battlecry.

"This looks like it's going to go either way at this point!" Connor called over to Laura and the Winter Knight nodded.

"The Elves will have to do this part by themselves. Let's take Seamus down once and for all!"

Quinton wheeled his mount and urged his friends on, "Come on! If we take out their general, we can disrupt the grunt troops!"

Amid the fresh round of fighting between the Elves and spriggans, Seamus waited patiently as the five knights rode over to confront him. They dismounted their steeds and unsummoned them before facing down the last general. Seamus chortled and held his glaive with a smirk, "I heard about what happened to Leanansidhe. Seems she died alone and in disgrace."

The Summer Knight scowled but maintained his composure against the taunt, "Not as disgraced as you're going to die on this field. You've never beaten us before. Now there will be thousands of your own men to watch you humiliate yourself."

Seamus roared in fury at the insult and stomped forward with murder in his eyes, "You'll pay for that! All of you!"

The troll clashed with Connor first and the knight barely parried away the weapon strike filled with raw anger behind it. From the flank, Laura rolled in and attacked with her rapier. A few slashes followed by a flurry of icy thrusts. Seamus staggered but his thick troll skin negated most of the damage from the attacks. As he shrugged it off, he prepared to strike back but two silver arrows hit him in the other side. Seamus scowled and pulled the two arrows out, seemingly just annoyed by the distraction. He slashed his glaive down but Stephen tumbled away. Just as the troll turned his weapon to try and clip the knight with a sweeping horizontal cut, it was deflected by three swords.

The Summer, Spring, and Autumn Knights attacked together to try and force back the general. In spite of their effort, Seamus pushed back and slashed with a ferocious horizontal cut. The three knights raised their guards and blocked the blow, but the sheer force of it sent them recoiling backwards. Quinton gripped his sickle tightly, "I think that guy's been pumping iron or something."

"You really think you're strong enough to stand against me in hand to hand combat?" the redcap laughed with a mocking sneer, "You can't hope to overcome my skin and regeneration powers."

"We'll just see about that," Laura called as she gathered the knights together, "Maybe you didn't know, but we got a little stronger too. Sidhe Armor!"

The five called upon their greater powers and emerged from a golden light in their more impressive Sidhe wargear. Seamus stopped and stared in shock while the soldiers of the Alliance and Fomorian armies continued to fight around them. The troll shook his head and continued stomping forward, "It doesn't matter. I'll still kill you and dye my hat redder with all your blood!"

He was immediately surprised as he brought down his glaive and it was easily batted aside by Laura. The Winter Knight darted sideways and used a backhanded slash like she would in tennis to beat back her larger foe. Seamus growled as the wound stung with a layer of ice before it closed up and healed but it was immediately reopened as Connor struck him next and scorched him with a gout of flames from the slash.

Seamus staggered before growling in contempt, "Fine. I'll admit... I'm almost impressed. That actually kinda hurt."

"Not as much as this is going to," Stephen called as he took aim at Seamus and charged a shot. The troll raised his guard but at the last moment, the Silver Knight turned his aim upwards and fired a Silver Starburst into the sky. Before Semaus could shift his guard upward, a hail of silver arrows rained down on him and momentarily pinned him in place. Seamus gave a loud cry as both Noelle and Laura attacked again, this time together as one.

The redcap raised his guard and he blocked the attack, but the combined force was too much and his weapon shattered to pieces. As the two knights rolled clear away off to the side, Connor and Quinton followed up to land a finishing blow themselves. Seamus desperately raised his arm to shield himself and screamed as the Summer Knight brought his blazing sword around and hacked it off, much like Leanansidhe had done to the troll once before. Now crippled and defenseless, Seamus's eyes went wide as Quinton brought his sword in for a killing blow. The Spring Knight's blade crackled with as much elemental thunder as he could summon and he drove it clear into the general's throat.

A tremendous thunderclap erupted throwing all the knights back and deep frying Seamus in the process. As the blinding and deafening effects of the blast subsided, they could see the charred remains of the one armed redcap were cooked and no longer regenerating. Noelle clapped Quinton on the back and gave a smile, "Damn Quin! Overkill much?"

"Better safe than sorry," he replied sheepishly while picking up his weapons, "Scratch one more general, right?"

Connor nodded and sheathed his sword solemnly, "That one was for Leanansidhe."

As the smoke began to clear, the spriggans stopped at the sight of seeing their field commander get vaporized. To everyone's relief, the evil fey army began to break ranks and retreat. The last of the broken Fomorian forces finally turned and fled back to their underground rampart. Having lost their general and being driven from the battlefield, all they could hope to do at the moment was to try and regroup in their dark holes in case the Alliance forces meant to press its attack. Fortunately for them, the army of the Four fey courts had decided to pause and regroup. They had also taken a beating and needed to time to deal with their exhaustion and casualties as well. For now, the mood was jubilant as the liberating force took the field and next entered the town to begin freeing the civilian prisoners.

Amid the fading autumn light that broke through the smoke of the downtown area, the knights raised their shining swords to the air giving triumphant cries of victory. They were met by the sounds of their Elven comrades giving cheers and waving their flags in reply. The five knights were exhausted, sore, and bruised. They were covered in enemy blood, grime, and dirt from the battlefield, but all that didn't seem to matter at the moment. For now, they had scored a major victory over Balor. They had unified the people of the Faerie Realm and saw that the end of their long struggle was finally in sight. Most important of all, their home and the people of Somerset Valley were free once more.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **I wanted to reply to something a Guest reviewer had mentioned in a recent chapter because it made me laugh in a good way. I'm aware of the Sentai Jetman and have heard it is arguably one of the best series. I'm embarrassed to admit I've never actually watched it yet. If the death of Leanansidhe was very similar to that of the female villain in the Sentai, it was purely coincidental. If I unintentionally copied one of the best Sentai without watching it, I must be doing something right, huh? ;)**


	61. Into Darkness

**Episode 31: Part 1  
**

After the retreat of the Fomorian invaders, the army of the Four Faerie Courts took up positions around the town of Somerset Valley, hoping to use the time to regroup and plan for a final push into the Underworld where the warlord Balor still remained. While squads of Elven soldiers went about patrolling the streets of the town, the shaken civilian population emerged from the buildings and houses where they had been imprisoned for the last few days. Despite having endured a direct monster occupation, the sight of the Elven soldiers clad in medieval armor and weaponry was still a bit strange and unsettling for the local humans.

Upon liberating the campus of the local college, the knights felt joy and relief when they saw some of their friends emerge from the auditorium they were held in. Stephen and Laura exchanged pleased smiles while watching Kayla give an exhausted smile and bury herself in Quinton's arms. Nearby, Eliza had also thrown her arms around the necks of Connor and Noelle to greet her friends with relieved hugs. As Detective pierce stepped out last after the other people, he stopped in surprise when he saw Kristen with the other knights. She was still holding her staff and wearing her green Druid's robes. She was dirty and disheveled from the battle and froze in panic when she saw him.

"Kristen? I… is that you?" he asked stepping forward slowly. "Are you also involved with all these monsters and magical things?"

"Damon! I uh… I can explain," she sputtered in alarm, "Okay… maybe not right away. It's complicated. I didn't mean to hide anything from you and…"

She was silenced as her boyfriend put his arms around her and kissed her, "I don't care about all that right now. What matters is that you're here and that you're safe."

The Druid gave a relieved sigh and hugged him back before he gave a laugh, "You know, me being a police detective and all… this is pretty embarrassing for me."

"What, that you got saved by a girl?" she smirked.

"No, that we've been together this long and I never figured out that you were some kind of wizard."

Kristen patted his cheek and shook her head, "Druid actually… but we'll sort all that out later."

As the knights and their friends regrouped, they decided to help any other students and citizens that had been hurt or trapped in the attack. Many homes, stores, and buildings had already been damaged or destroyed. If this new Faerie army was going to busy itself with waging war on the monstrous Fomorians, then the people of Somerset Valley would get back to work cleaning up and rebuilding their town.

Amid the celebration of the freed townspeople and the victorious Elves, the droning sounds of bagpipes began to echo in the air playing a triumphant tune. Most likely they were coming from downtown area as a group of soldiers from the Spring Court began to play. Laura groaned in dismay and covered her ears, "Oh my goodness! What is that dreadful racket?"

The others couldn't help but laugh as Quinton grinned and puffed up his chest, basking in the noise of his Scottish heritage, "Ah come on Laura, nothing like the sound of some Highland pipes to put some fire in the blood, right?"

The Winter Knight rolled her eyes, "There's a fire in my blood to go find some earplugs right now. Kristen, you wouldn't happen to have any in your shop… would you?"

Their mentor grimaced and began walking back toward town, "I can try looking… if my shop is still standing."

* * *

Later that day as evening fell over the town, Kristen gave a dismayed sigh as she rummaged about the ruins of her store. She was accompanied by Damon and Connor to help pick through the place while the two gargoyles Scratch and Yum-Yum scurried about and did their best to move small bits of debris from the main floor. After setting up some lanterns to provide light, Damon gave a grunt and pushed aside a wooden beam that had fallen, "Cheer up Kristen. I know it looks bad, but we can always fix it up again… I just wonder how you're supposed to report this kind of insurance claim."

The Druid gave a dispirited look and dusted off a cracked mirror before putting it back on a shelf, "I'm sorry. I just… it's hard seeing the place trashed like this. I put so much of my time and effort into this business, you know?"

Connor swept aside some broken glass with a broom before stopping to pick up Yum-Yum, "I know what you mean. This place was kind of like our home base and to see what the Fomorians did here… well, I guess it just makes me feel kinda violated. But like Damon said, we'll help fix the place up."

Kristen snorted and tried to make light of the bad situation, "Thanks Connor. I hope you don't mind putting in some overtime to do that."

The Summer Knight chuckled, "I'm a starving college kid remember? I'll take whatever bribe I can get."

At that moment, the bell above the door jingled as Noelle stepped in and gave a light knock, "Hey everyone… sorry to interrupt here. A bunch of people were getting together over at O'Doyle's pub to help him out tonight. He said he had something for the five of us so if you're not too busy…"

Connor glanced over to his boss and Kristen nodded, "You guys go on ahead. I need to find something here first."

"I'll help too," Damon added as he took the broom against the wall.

Connor set down the pudgy gargoyle and gave him a wink, "All right then. You and Scratch stay here and help Kristen out, okay? Can I count on you?"

Both of the little creatures gave a nod and dutifully got back to work while the two knights left the store. They strolled down the street hand in hand surveying the aftermath and damage from the Fomorian assault. As they walked, a cold autumn wind blew and Noelle gave a small shiver, "Oh wow… I didn't realize how cold it's gotten. Now I wish I stopped back at the dorm and picked up some heavier clothes."

"Lucky for us the pub is just a few blocks away," Connor said as he took off his red zip up hoodie and put it over her, "I'm surprised O'Doyle was still letting people into the bar. I figure he'd be waist deep in cleaning up the mess too."

"I think he wanted to try and help keep everyone's spirits up," Noelle said idly, "These last couple days have been rough of everybody… including us. If we're going to go try and take on Balor in the coming days, we can't do it with heavy hearts, right?"

"I can't wait for this conflict to be over," he agreed as they stopped at the door of the pub.

"It will be nice to have some extra time to just relax and live a normal life again," she said thoughtfully, "Or as normal as this place will allow."

"And I know just how I want to spend some of that extra time," Connor smiled as he gave his girlfriend a hug and a kiss, "Now… shall we?"

The two entered the pub and were pleasantly surprised by the sight of several local students and townspeople having an impromptu party. A warm fire crackled in the fireplace to give off some heat and warmth while some of Eliza's bandmates played some music in a corner. In the other corner of the room, a few surviving beer kegs were cracked open and the patrons there each took a glass and enjoyed them while chatting with their friends and classmates.

"Good old Mr. O," Noelle smiled before she and Connor were waved over toward the bar where their friends waited. As they stepped up to the counter, Quinton passed them all some shot glasses while Mr. O'Doyle took his place behind the bar.

"What's all this?" Connor asked in amusement, "You guys said Mr. O'Doyle needed us for something."

"That's right my boy," the old Druid chuckled as he reached down and pulled out a tall bottle of liquor. "I need you five to help me get rid of this bottle. When the spriggans came through, they wrecked most of my bar… but not all of it."

Connor examined the label, "Jameson's Limited Reserve, eh? This should be some pretty good stuff."

"Figures the spriggans would leave the Irish whiskey behind," Laura smirked playfully.

"Be that as it may… I figure now's as good a time as any to crack it open," O'Doyle said while pouring it in the glasses, "I think we earned a little respite before the final battle."

As the Druid continued to pour, Stephen wrinkled his nose, "Umm… there's a slight problem here. Laura and I are still technically underage."

Quinton shrugged with a smile and passed them their glasses, "That's okay. I think we'll make a little exception tonight."

The two younger knights exchanged a look before raising their glasses with the others.

" _Slainte_ (good health) everyone!" Connor said invoking the traditional Irish toast before everyone took a gulp.

" _Erin gu bhrath_ ," (Ireland Forever)" O'Doyle added as he paused and took a drink from his own glass, "Now… let's enjoy ourselves for one more night!"

* * *

After a night of moderated festivity, the knights awoke the next morning and readied themselves to join their fey allies in the final push against Balor's entrenched Fomorian minions who still guarded his lair. For them, it felt good to be able to celebrate something positive again in the company of their friends and loved ones. It felt even better to finally be on the offensive and take the battle into their own hands… a battle that the five of them eagerly awaited.

They made their way out to the edge of the valley where the rocky slopes of the region opened up into the cave systems which the Fomorians used as a gate to their stronghold. A large force of Alliance soldiers stood guarding the caves while a small band of warriors from all the courts waited by the main entrance of the cave. Kristen had joined the knights and gathered together as Lord Gwydion of the Summer Court gestured to the opening in the rocks, "That way leads to the stronghold of Lord Balor. The Four Courts have assembled a small band of its best soldiers to aid you in reaching the throne. It's our hope that you will be able to reach Balor and end the One Eyed King's reign of terror for good."

"We appreciate the help Lord Gwydion," Laura said, "But we're going to be going into unfamiliar territory. Will you be able to tell us what to expect?"

"I'm afraid not," the Elf said as he shook his head, "If anyone will have the best luck overcoming the darkness and dangers of the Fomorian caverns, it will be you five."

Kristen cleared her throat and stepped forward holding a large tick green candle, "Here. You five might want to use this too. I spent all knight looking for it in the ruins of my shop."

"What is it? Some apple scented Yankee Candle?" Stephen quipped while raising an eyebrow.

The Druid shook her head, "No. This is an Unseelie Candle. Many fey monsters and pitfalls that lie deep in caverns and dungeons are often warded or invisible. The light of this candle should help protect you and reveal the dangers along the way."

"Oh joy," Quinton said hesitantly as he took the candle.

After calling upon their armor and drawing their weapons, the five knights and their Elven escorts began making their way into the mouth of the cave. Before they entered with lit torches and flashlights, the other fey soldiers who were present gave a salute and stood at attention. Lord Sigurd of Winter gave an even nod toward Laura and her friends, "Know that the five of you go with the hopes and wishes of all the people of Faerie behind you."

"We'll wait as long as it takes for your return," Kristen added as she stood back and tried to keep a brave face, "Please be careful and come back to us."

The assault team gave a wave and made their way into the dark caves to find the lair of Lord Balor. As they walked the knights led the way holding their bright flashlights while Quinton lit the Unseelie Candle and used its glow to help guide their way. With help of some of the Elven soldiers, the knights made their way further into the winding darkness of the caverns which went deeper and deeper into the earth. Everyone remained tense and kept their weapons at the ready, expecting danger at every turn. As the tunnels opened up into some larger caverns everyone halted as they saw crowds of the Fomorian minions mobbing the path.

To their shock, the spriggan soldiers and lesser monster soldiers didn't attack but simply stepped aside and cleared their path. The knights and Elven warriors exchanged uneasy looks and hesitantly made their way forward letting the crowd of soldiers guide them as the path opened. Of course, all the monsters and spriggans regarded them with murderous looks and growled threateningly, but it was as if they had been ordered to stand down and let the enemy pass. As they continued on unopposed past the monsters that would otherwise be cloaked in magical darkness, Quinton muttered quietly, "I don't like this. It all seems too easy. I'm willing to bet Balor is leading us into a trap."

"He probably is," Stephen answered grimly, "At least we'll get to fight him fresh instead of battling through this horde. Either Balor is up to something, or he's extremely confident in his ability to take us on. Both are not pleasant thoughts."

"If we've learned anything from the bad guys, it's that they always seem to have an inflated opinion on their own strength, "Laura mused, "Right now, let's stay sharp and hope that's Balor's going to underestimate us too."

Eventually, the five friends were led to a pair of large doors which opened up into the Great Hall of the Fomorians. A few long wooden tables for feasting lined the way and stood off to the side as the path forward led to a large iron throne. Sitting upon the seat was a large powerfully built figure with an intimidating visage. The tall warrior lord was dressed in regal furs and assorted pieces of jagged armor. Upon his head was a horned helm with an iron crown sitting atop it. The most striking feature of the figure was the steel eye patch he wore over one of this sockets. Even from a near distance, the knights could see a fiery energy which radiated from the edges. As the assault team entered, the warlord sat back against his throne and gave a smile, "So these are the famous knights of Somerset Valley. I've been wanting to meet you for some time."

"You told your troops to stand down? You wanted us to come here that badly?" Stephen called out.

Balor smirked, "Of course. I had to see you all for myself. What better way than by extending the ancient fey customs of hospitality to you?"

"I see you're not used to accommodating visitors," Noelle quipped grimly as Balor began to laugh again.

Laura gripped her rapier and pointed it toward the monstrous warlord, "If you've got something to say, then say it already Balor!"

The warlord growled and slowly rose from his chair carrying a large waraxe. As he did, his patched eye began to burn and glow even brighter with its malevolent eldritch light, "I've waited centuries to get my revenge on all of you. If I destroy you here, I'll take away the champions of your human people and the very glue of your precious Faerie Alliance. Make yourselves at home here friends. You are not going to leave these chambers alive!"

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **The magic candle is a nod toward the reader d _guice_. If you're reading, I'm sorry I couldn't quite work in an official plot or monster attack centered on the Yankee Candle Company. This was the best I could do my friend but thank you though for your suggestions!**


	62. Tiocfaidh ar la: Our Day Will Come

**Episode 31: Part 2  
**

A gang of Fomorian guards appeared at the entrance of the great hall and drew their weapons, moving to cut off their enemies. The Alliance warriors immediately responded with their own weapons and began to move toward the door. The allied soldiers were outnumbered but they figured if they could fight through the press and secure the door, it would give the knights enough to time to kill Balor. As the sounds of clashing steel and fierce fighting echoed in the cavern, the five knights turned to confront their final enemy who advanced while hefting his axe. With each step he took, Balor seemed to grow in size and strength, adding a few extra feet and pounds of muscle. He slowly peeled off his eye patch revealing his enchanted Evil Eye while dragging his weapon on the ground which created sparks in its wake.

Flickering light from the torches lining the room danced along the walls while Stephen drew back a silver arrow and prepared to fire. As the other four prepared to go head to head against the warlord, Connor turned to Laura, "Okay… any bright ideas or brilliant tactics?"

"Right now, let's just hit him with everything we've got," the Winter Knight responded while moving to attack first.

"Works for me," Quinton chimed in nervously while joining the charge.

Stephen led off the attack and let loose his arrow and it exploded into a starburst volley which Balor easily swept away with a great swing of his axe. As the arrows shattered, Laura made a leaping attack and slashed at the torso of the warlord. He staggered back a moment before giving a laugh as the magic armor he war absorbed the majority of the frigid strike. As Laura moved to slash again, Balor swept the blunt face of the weapon around and bashed her away while Quinton and Noelle charged in to engage the enemy next. Just when they brought their blades around together, Balor blocked their slashes with his own counterblow and the force of his weapon against theirs sent them both flying backwards.

No sooner did he deal with them, Balor growled as he felt a fiery blade slash into his back armor and give off a small cloud of flames. He whirled around in fury to see Connor trying to press his attack and get in another blow, "Forget about me?"

Balor grunted as the Summer Knight drove his blade into the side of the warlord but then began to smile. In what would have been a critical wound to any other Fomorian, Balor didn't seem to slow down or show any weakness. "That was a good attempt boy, but do you think my true power really lies there? Your weapons cannot harm me."

Connor gasped as Balor pulled the blade from his side with the knight still holding on, and fling him across the room. Connor hit the ground and struggled to rise as his friends gathered around in a defensive formation.

"So predictable," the warlord snorted as he zapped the head of his axe with some energy from his Evil Eye. Balor hammered the ground and let loose a rolling quake of earth and flames which tore up the floor of the hall and swept over the knights. The sheer overwhelming force of the attack knocked everyone down and left them dazed and bruised. Upon seeing the human knights knocked back, several of the Elven soldiers of the Four Courts broke off their efforts to hold the door and moved to confront the warlord instead.

Long moments passed as the knights struggled to rise and shake off the hit they had taken. Once the stars began to fade and the heads stopped swimming, the five turned in fear to see Balor move forward sweeping his axe back and forth in powerful reaping cuts. A mixed group of Summer and Winter soldiers who tried to stand in the way were swept aside and instantly killed by the Fomorian's blows. Across the room, a few Spring and Autumn soldiers turned their crossbows to fire on the warlord but Balor turned his Evil Eye upon them and fired a beam of his sinister fire. Before they could discharge their weapons, the Elven archers were instantly vaporized.

"Oh no… this is looking really bad," Noelle gasped in growing dread.

Connor rose to his feet again and readied his blade, "Maybe so, but we've got to do something. We can't let Balor win. Not now… so follow me!"

The knights moved together in a blitz attack to try to overwhelm Balor in a rush of steel. Despite their brave counterattack, the warlord held his ground. Connor struck first but his slash was deflected and the knight was knocked aside by a vicious shoulder check. Quinton followed up, aiming to hamstring his foe with his sickle but Balor swept his horned helm around and knocked the Spring Knight away to the other side of the room. Laura moved next and shielded her advance with a powerful spray of razor sharp ice and blistering snow. The warlord grunted and stumbled backwards a moment while using his weapon to block the attack. Moments later, Laura's ice shield was completely negated as Balor unleashed the powerful fiery magic of his Evil Eye and cooked it away. Laura gasped as her magic was overpowered and she was thrown aside into some nearby tables. In the momentary confusion and chaos, Noelle used the opportunity to dart in and make a leaping thrust with her sword. Balor gave a furious roar as her blade pierced trough some of his armor and into his torso.

Like Connor's prior attack, Balor largely shrugged it off and lashed out at close range, clamping down on the Autumn Knight's neck, "You impudent little girl!"

He lifted her up and began to squeeze, trying to choke the life from her but she stubbornly fought back and used some of her martial arts training in desperation. She gave his wrist a karate chop before throwing her legs up in a snap kick to his chin. Balor dropped her and reeled back in sudden surprise before recovering his wits. With his other hand, he brought his axe around in a downward hacking motion to try and split Noelle apart but Stephen rushed in just in time to tackle her out of the way. Both knights tumbled and skidded away on the floor, dazed and relieved at the same time.

"Oh man… thanks for the save Stephen. I owe you one," Noelle gasped in gratitude as he helped her up.

"We can settle up later," the Silver Knight replied while turning back to the battle at hand, "How are we going to bring Balor down? That guy is built like a tank and shrugging off everything we throw at him."

The other knights regrouped around the two and fell back as Balor stalked closer like a predatory animal cornering its prey. Connor watched the Fomorian lord close in and furiously racked his brain for a new strategy when he saw Balor's Evil Eye flicker. Balor had said their weapons could not hurt him and that his body was not where his true power lay. Perhaps all that had been tied up in the enchanted eye of the warlord. If they could strike back and get at that eye, they would possibly have a shot at victory.

"Okay knights, new plan. I say we go stick Balor right in that eye. If we can take it out, it might weaken him just enough."

"Are you nuts?" Stephen exclaimed incredulously, "Did you see what it did to those Elves? If we even get close to that thing, it'll vaporize us for sure."

His argument was cut off as the knights saw the last of the Alliance soldiers fall to the overwhelming number of Fomorian troops at the door. Even with their newfound advantage against the heroes, the Fomorian warriors stayed back and gave their leader room. No doubt they were afraid to get in the way and didn't want to interfere in Balor's personal battle.

The Summer Knight ignited his sword, "Only one of us has to get that close to that eye Stephen. We'll use everything left in the tank if that's what it takes to protect ourselves. Everyone?"

The five focused their will and raised their weapons together, "Sidhe Armor!"

The five knights paused a moment to draw on the rest of their strength and call upon the golden power of the Faerie Lords. As they emerged in their golden wargear and radiated colorful auras of elemental energy, all the Fomorians including Balor recoiled from the bright light. The warlord snorted and pounded his axe on the ground, "Give it up humans. There's no way you're going to survive. The battle is over."

"It's not over until we say it's over," Laura retorted as the five friends changed their formation and prepared for one last coordinated strike. The Winter Knight pointed her rapier to the ground and gave a nod to Stephen in order to signal the attack. Stephen drew back a charged arrow and aimed it at Balor. At the last moment, he aimed it at the cavern ceiling above the monster and fired the bolt. The arrow struck the rocks above and blasted a small avalanche down upon the head of Balor.

The warlord growled in surprise and shrugged off the momentary disorientation as several large rocks fell upon him and distracted him. Laura drove her rapier into the ground causing a sheet of slippery ice to quickly spread out and surround Balor, causing him to lose his balance. While the Fomorian leader slipped and teetered about for a moment, both Quinton and Noelle acted in tandem, channeling the power of their rings to blind Balor with a brilliant thunderclap and blow him over with a powerful gust of wind. As the Fomorian troops shielded their eyes, Balor slipped again on the ice and fell over onto his back, momentarily blinded and deafened by the last attack.

Without wasting a moment, Connor charged forward with his sword and slid on the ice toward the fallen form of Balor. As he slid close, the Summer Knight jumped and turned his blade downward aiming right for the sinister glowing eyeball of the warlord. A sizzling and popping sound was heard as the tip of Connor's blade struck home and drove down into Balor's skull. Everyone held their breath watching in shock before Balor screamed in pain and rage. A powerful burst of malevolent energy erupted from his ruined eye and blasted Connor backward. The surge of energy that spread through the room was so powerful that it knocked down everyone present and killed a few nearby spriggans. As the five knights toppled over from the blast, they writhed in stunned pain from residual effects and felt their armor dispel too.

The mortally wounded Balor continued to wail in agony as he desperately staggered to his feet while powerful rays of dark fire continued to stream from his ruined eye. The knights stayed down and ducked as the beams of lethal energy swept around the cavern, cutting clean through the tables and ornaments of the room. As Balor continued to thrash about and reel from side to side, his fiery rays swept around and struck more of his own Fomorian troops that were still in the room. Handfuls of spriggans and lesser fiends who were caught in the line of fire were instantly incinerated and destroyed.

Finally, Balor gave one more groan before falling to his knees and releasing a death rattle. The great warlord of the Fomorian host collapsed to the ground face-first and began to combust as his magic eye burned him up from within. Everyone stopped and stared in amazement as Balor disintegrated, leaving only a red blazing ball of evil fire which continued to burn on the ground and quickly melt through the stone floor, probably back to whatever hellish place it had originally come from.

"Is everyone okay?" Quinton croaked as he rolled over in exhaustion and pain, "Is Balor really gone?"

"I think we've got a few more important problems to deal with," Laura groaned as she pulled herself to her knees and watched in dread as the remaining army of Fomorian minions began to close in around them.

By now, the only thing that the exhausted and battle weary friends could do was watch in desperation as the remaining monsters closed in on all sides of the dark cavern, intent on exacting revenge for their fallen lord. As the knights huddled together, Connor wiped some grime from his face before putting a protective arm over Noelle to shield her from harm. Despite having defeated the Fomorian leader, the knights felt their hearts sink into despair at their desperate situation. Balor might have been gone, but they were surrounded, alone in the dark, outnumbered by enemies, and no longer strong enough to fight any longer. They waited for the steel of the vengeful Fomorian weapons to end them when a loud gushing sound was heard.

The floor began to tremble as the humans and monsters all stopped to stare at the surreal sight before them. In the spot where Balor's Evil Eye had melted through the cave floor, a powerful geyser of water suddenly erupted and began to gush out in gallons at a time, as if some underground lake had suddenly been tapped. Everyone jumped to their feet and scrambled about in confusion as water from the deep recesses of the earth continued to well up and fill the room. The Fomorians immediately forgot about the knights and scrambled to evacuate the caves, but the crowded hall of enemy soldiers only caused more chaos and bodies falling over each other.

"What the hell is going on here?" Stephen called out as he waded through the rapidly filling cavern.

"No time! Let's go!" Laura shouted as she pushed forward and tried to lead the others out into the rest of the caves. At the rate the caverns were filling with water, it was likely they'd never make it back up to the surface in time, but they had to try.

Amid the press of fleeing bodies, the water rose ever higher and the knights found themselves separated from one another. Connor pushed past a flailing spriggan and brushed aside water trying to reach out to Laura. She extended her hand and their fingers briefly met but the water splashed them again and they were lost in the confusion. He thrashed about in fear and desperation, trying to find his friends in the dark watery cavern, "Laura! Quinton! Noelle!"

Before he could shout out anything more to his friends, a fresh wave of water streamed out and engulfed the Summer Knight, tossing him end over end in the water. As he spun, he felt a strong current pulling him in some direction, but it was impossible to tell which way was up or down in the darkness of the water filled caves. All he could do was hold his breath for dear life and pinch his eyes shut. If he was going to drown with his friends in the darkness of this terrible place, he decided he'd fight back and cling to every precious second of life he could. As the current continued to grow and the churning waters rose ever higher, the five knights and all their Fomorian enemies were swept away and greeted with the darkness of possible oblivion.

* * *

An indeterminate time later, Connor slowly regained consciousness and felt warm sunlight on his face. The sound of chirping birds greeted his ears as he lay half submerged in some pool of water. His whole body ached and felt weighted down by lead but he managed to slowly crack an eye open. Once his vision cleared, he could see, he was lying on the edge of a small freshwater spring. He was surrounded by trees and it looked to be some wooded clearing, but it was hard to tell where exactly. He was still submerged in the water from the waist down, but his back was against the slope of the ground leading to the still pond. Even more unusual, a host of small colorful pixies bobbed and floated around the pond as if keeping watch on all five of them.

As the Summer Knight sat up slowly, he looked over and saw his four other friends also laying at the edge of this natural spring. Like him, they were slowly coming to with a chorus of groans and disoriented mumbles. Once they had all fully regained their senses, they pulled themselves up from the water and lay drying off on the grassy ground. The pixies continued to float idly around the pond and didn't seem perturbed at all by the intruding humans.

"What happened? Where are we?" Noelle sighed stretching her arms out.

"We're not dead... are we?" Quinton mused but his question was met by gentle laughter from a familiar voice.

"No Quinton. You're not dead. In fact, you're very much alive," Kristen smiled as she entered the faerie glade followed by several member of the Alliance army. "We weren't sure what happened when the cave systems suddenly overflowed with underground spring water. It some searching, but we finally found you guys. It's a miracle you five ended up here... and that this fresh spring was connected to the cave system."

"What about the Fomorians?" Stephen sighed in exhaustion, "When we defeated Balor, his magic eye must have melted the earth and triggered some underground well of water. We were the only other survivors."

Kristen smiled gently and shook her head, "None of the other Fomorians washed up. Either they all drowned in the caves or were washed away to some other faraway place."

"So it's finally over then?" Laura said while trying to lift her head. "We finally won?"

She was exhausted and sore, but her voice and the curl in her lips betrayed a relieved smile. Kristen leaned on her staff with a protective look over the five young people before giving a warm smile, "Yes... the threat of Balor and the Fomorian army is finally over. Our job here is done."

"Oh... that's nice," Connor yawned as he felt all the fatigue and soreness that he and his friends had endured over the past year all seem to come and hit him at once, "I just... need a minute or two to take it all in."

The Druid exchanged smiles with the other Elves present on the faerie springs before turning to her charges. Each of them looked ready to fall back asleep from their harrowing near death experience, "Take as much time as you need. We can sort out all the details later. The war is finally over and it's time to rest now. God knows the five of you have earned it."

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **Thanks again for sticking it out with me this long everyone! I'll be posting the official ending chapters to this series in the next few days so just hang in there. We're almost home free!**


	63. The Parting Glass

Two weeks had passed since the final defeat of Balor and the Fomorian horde. Upon securing their final victory, the Elven army of the Four Courts withdrew back into the mists and returned to the Faerie Realm while the people of Somerset Valley celebrated with music and dancing. Without the constant presence of monsters or faerie magic meddling in the valley, an unusual peace and calmness had returned to the lives of the townsfolk. Families who had been separated in the monster attacks reunited while residents got back to work repairing and rebuilding their homes and businesses. Even classes at the college had resumed, though many of the buildings on campus were damaged. With so many students helping to volunteer in the rebuilding effort and professors unable to hold full lectures, it was shaping up to be an unusually lax semester for all those at the university.

In a surprising turn, it also seemed that Mother Nature had decided to be unusually charitable. Despite the fact it was now late October, the autumn weather remained unseasonably mild and slightly warmer than usual. The weather had been clear and sunny and many of the trees on campus retained a fair amount of their colorful Fall leaves. On one of those particular afternoons, Quinton Wallace sat reclining on the main quad under a large maple tree while reading a book. Nearby, Noelle also sat with her back to the tree taking time to relax and admire the colors of the leaves. While she fiddled with an orange leaf, Connor lay on the grass, resting the back of his head on Noelle's lap and looking up at the beautiful display of leaves above. He gave a content yawn and closed his eyes lazily, "There's a lot of reds and oranges this year. Kinda unusual, don't you think?"

Noelle gave a giggle and leaned down to sneak in a quick kiss when he wasn't looking, "Oh I don't mind. I kinda think those colors go nice together."

Quinton closed his book and gave a gentle laugh to tease his two friends, "A little biased now, aren't we?"

Noelle smiled and shrugged before Quinton scratched his chin, "You know… I was just thinking. I wonder why Kristen asked all of us to meet her here today. I'm sure it can't be because there are going to be any more monster attacks."

Connor glanced at his wrist watch and shrugged, "No idea, but considering all the times we ran to her shop needing help or panicking in the middle of a disaster, it's only fair we help her if she needs it."

"You have been putting in a lot of hours into helping her fix up the shop again," Noelle mused thoughtfully, "I'm guessing you're going to have a pretty sweet paycheck coming up."

"She must be hinting that she wants me to buy her something nice," Connor smiled while cracking an eye open toward Quinton. He folded his hands and turned back to Noelle playfully, "Sorry babe, I'm not completely whipped yet."

Noelle gave a mildly exasperated sigh at his joke and pinched her boyfriend in the ear. Quinton laughed aloud for a minute before stopping abruptly. His two friends followed his gaze over to where two more knights approached the meeting spot under the tree. Both Laura and Stephen walked up and greeted their friends, except they did so while holding each other's hands.

"Wait… what's all this?" Quinton exclaimed while giving their younger comrades a shocked expression.

"Oh… you mean this?" Laura asked while holding up her hand still clasping Stephens, "Well… things just kinda happened back in Winter so now that Balor's gone, we figured we'd try give this dating thing a go too."

Connor sat up and gave a relaxed thumbs up to Stephen while Noelle added a kind smile, "Nice one Stephen. We're proud of you."

"Wait… you guys knew about this too?" Quinton huffed toward Connor, "We're best friends and you didn't even say anything to me?"

Connor laughed, "Sorry man. If Laura learned everyone else was in on it except her, she'd probably murder me."

"Too true," the Winter Knight replied patting Quinton gently on the head.

Before the five friends could continue on with their banter, they stopped when they saw Kristen approach from the other end of the quad. She had dressed down to some casual clothes: jeans, a white shirt and a green cardigan sweater. As she approached, the five saw a familiar wooden box tucked under her arm.

"Hey everyone… thanks for agreeing to meet with me here today," Kristen said as she reached the base of the tree where they had gathered. "It seems a little strange gathering together without the town being in eminent danger, huh?"

"You don't have any banshees or man eating trolls locked away in that little box, do you?" Connor asked jokingly as the knights all gathered around their Druid mentor.

"Thankfully no," Kristen smiled while shaking her head, "But I'm sure you all know why I'm carrying this box."

Quinton looked to his hand where his green Destiny ring still sat upon his finger, "Oh wow... I can't believe we completely forgot!"

Everyone else followed suit and looked at their own rings, save for Stephen who stood by quietly. Kristen nodded, "Now that the Fomorians are gone and Balor is destroyed, you've all completed your _geas_. You four are finally free of the enchantment from the rings."

Laura sighed as she took off her ring and held it gently in her hand, "You know... it's a little funny. After all this time, I think we all just became used to wearing these rings and being knights. It had never really occurred to us that we'd be here... at the end of our journey and free of our obligation."

Kristen nodded and opened the felt lined box where four indents remained, "That's why I'm here today."

"You came to take the rings back and store them for safekeeping?" Noelle said sadly while tracing her finger around her own ring.

The Druid stopped and looked to the first four knights, "Actually, I wanted to leave that decision up to the four of you. While it's true that keeping those rings safe was originally my job, the four of you have taken the burden and responsibilities of being knights and really came into your own. Each and every one of you has grown and matured so much. If you four decided that you wanted to keep the rings and continue using their powers to serve and protect others... well, I couldn't think of any other people I'd rather entrust them to."

Everyone exchanged a smile and looked to their rings thoughtfully. As they took time to reflect on all their experiences and adventures up to that point, Connor held up his ring and let the light of the sun glint off the gold base and the red ruby stone that was set within it, "If you think about it, this really isn't the end of the journey like Laura was talking about."

Everyone looked to him as he continued, "Balor and his monsters might be gone, but we can't be certain that some new danger or trouble won't come up again either. If it does, we should be ready to meet it. We have a duty to help look after this place and rest of the mortal world too. Isn't that part of what being a knight is all about? Always being ready to serve? That's why I'm going to choose to keep my ring."

He slipped the ring back on his finger. Even though there was no binding magic attached to it this time, it glowed a warm red for a moment as it was reunited with its owner. The other knights smiled and slipped their own rings on their fingers too. Once the colorful glows faded, Laura gave a mild snort of amusement and patted the Summer Knight's shoulder, "Well, if you're going to insist on still tangling with the faeries, then I suppose I'll have to stick around and keep you from doing anything too stupid."

"That goes for the rest of us too," Stephen said as he Quinton, and Noelle joined their team huddle. As she watched the sight before her, Kristen smiled quietly and simply closed the box with a pleased nod. A mild autumn breeze began to blow and the afternoon sunlight lit up the quad in a golden glow.

"I guess this is the part where we all get on our horses and ride off into the sunset together?" Quinton chuckled.

The five called upon the magic of their rings and bracer one more time before summoning their faerie steeds. As they steered their mounts together at the amazement of several students who were passing by on the sidewalk, Connor reached down and helped Kristen get on the back of his horse. "What do you say we all go for one more little ride around the valley? Just to make sure everything is really safe. Laura?"

The Winter Knight smiled and nodded in reply, "Right then... Hibernian Knights to arms!"

As the awestruck students on the quad continued to stare, they watched as the five riders galloped away from the field as fast as the wind, into the golden shimmering light of the sun, and off toward their next great adventure.


	64. Erin gu brath: Ireland Forever

**Epilogue:  
**

As the last notes of the song faded away and echoed in the auditorium, Eliza McConnel gave a modest bow as she was greeted by applause from the students who had come to watch her performance. It had been a few years since she had graduated college here at Somerset Valley University, but it was nice to come home once a year and do a show for her school. After having recorded a few folk songs with a minor record label, she was now an up and coming star in the local music industry. Naturally everyone around the nearby city of Boston wanted to lend support to a homegrown talent and they were always particularly eager to hear some of the stories that helped inspire her music.

Eliza gave another bow and smiled as she reached for the microphone, "Thank you! Thank you everyone! I'm glad you enjoyed that little number. It seems people around here are always asking to hear the Ballad of the Somerset Knights."

One of the students in the audience raised a hand and called out, "Is it true that you were a student here when those monsters attacked several years ago and the knights came to save the town?"

Eliza laughed gently and nodded, "That's right. I was starting my junior year here along with the knights. They were actually my friends and classmates. Their experiences and heroics helped to inspire some of my music that tells their story. Back in the old days, ancient people like the Celts had a strong oral tradition and the passing on of history and culture fell to their bards. Those bards were great storytellers and musicians who helped preserve those tales and even if we don't really have them around anymore, I like to think that I'm doing my part to honor that tradition."

Another girl in the audience raised a hand and gave a hopeful look, "Miss McConnel, you said you went to school with those heroes and that you were friends with them. Do you know what happened to them, or where they are now?"

"Of course!" Eliza grinned, "I still keep in regular contact with all of them. They all remained local and even if they're not battling monsters on a regular basis, they're still keeping an eye on things here, just in case."

The crowd remained quiet as she sat back and gave a smile, "Connor Walsh went on to get his degree in English and become a successful writer. I know he's published a couple of Fantasy adventure novels taking inspiration from his exploits with the fey. The series is still ongoing and there's been some talk of maybe having his books adapted into a screenplay. When he's not writing or editing, I know he also teaches some Creative Writing courses at a local community college too. Maybe now that I'm in town, I can twist his arm to come play a few music sets with me at the local pub... just to make sure he doesn't get too rusty with the fiddle."

The audience chuckled as she gave a wink and continued, "Noelle Moreau is currently finishing up veterinary school and preparing to take her board exams. While I haven't had much time to talk to her recently, I know she's still staying active with her karate classes and volunteering at the local animal shelter too. For anyone who was concerned, don't worry. Both she and Connor are still together and in a happy relationship. After shared experiences like those, I can't imagine they wouldn't be in it for the long haul. But God help them if they decided to move in together. Poor Connor... I imagine Noelle would probably turn the whole place into a petting zoo."

After a little more laughter from the crowd of students, Eliza scratched her chin and leaned back on her seat, "As for Quinton Wallace, I understand he got his degree in Sociology and went into social services work assisting psychiatrists. He had told me how glad he was that he became a knight because it really helped to bring him out of his shell. I had always thought he was a really sweet and gentle guy, but he was always so timid and unsure of himself too. After he learned to overcome all that, he wanted to help people who suffered from the same issue and make them just as confident too. He told me he enjoys his work and finds it fulfilling, though he's still a little uncertain if he's ready to go into public motivational speaking. One thing at a time, right?

Laura Gremory graduated college with her degree in History and recently completed her Master's thesis in the field of Archeology. She had gone out west to Colorado for a year or two to intern under a famous professor by the name of Gabriel Bishop. From what I know, she's on her way home to work on making some archeological discoveries of her own here. In the mean time, I also know she had won a major tennis tournament out west and is on better terms with her parents too.

And not to forget Stephen Gentum-Smith... he finished here with a degree in Business and currently works for a big sports equipment distributor in Boston. He's been promoting their archery equipment, helping give demonstrations to advertise and boost interest. Although they haven't been able to spend a whole lot of time together because of their schooling or work, I know that he and Laura have maintained a long distance relationship and I'm certain now that Laura is coming back home, the both of them will be much happier to be nearby each other again."

One of the younger students stood up, "Miss McConnel... this may sound like a silly question, but did those five knights ever ride again? Was that battle against Balor really the end of their adventure?"

"Of course not," Eliza laughed, "The story isn't over just yet. Even after defeating Balor and saving the people of Somerset Valley, the five knights had gone on many other journeys across the Faerie Realm to help keep the peace in that world as well as our own. If you'd like to hear the tale of their next adventure, why don't you all just sit back, relax, and listen as I sing about it in my newest song..."


	65. Slainte

**Author's Word**

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

As always, thanks so much to all for reading, commenting, or following! Additional thanks go out again to **_Stormasius_** , _**AceKH**_ , **_TheDaydreamer25_** , and _**Moonlit Mortal**_ for all their help and support as well as providing the cast. I really hope I did your OC's justice. I also know this was a little different compared to the normal conventions and style of a typical Power Rangers series. To be very honest, this series was heavily inspired by the short lived Saban show Mystic Knights of Tir na Nog. It combined Power Ranger elements, Epic Fantasy, and Celtic folklore and I always wanted to take that a step further with a threat like the fey.

The traditional Celtic legends of Faerie people have always fascinated me because they are a lot like us humans, but also very fantastical and different. Faeries are also great characters because of their contradictory natures. They're often beautiful but also very dangerous and mysterious. They can be kind and helpful at times, but at other times they can be cruel and spiteful. They're unpredictable and prone to acting on their whims, yet they have their own complex rules for their society. Hopefully some of those elements were able to come across in an entertaining way.

The themes of Natural Balance and Change also factored in heavily with this series. We had four main heroes with very different personalities that corresponded to their respective seasons. By learning to work together and accept each other, they were a more balanced team and made something more whole, just as four seasons complete a year. Also like the changing seasons of a year, each hero went about personal changes and grew to become more mature, confident, or caring. Coincidentally, the idea of four knights to start the story also seemed fitting, especially because there are four leaves on a lucky clover and four provinces of Ireland. For any sharp eyed people, maybe you also recognized the fun little way that the four reflected the old relationships of their respective heritage countries: Connor/Ireland, Laura/England, Quinton/Scotland, and Noelle/France.

As always, feel free to ask any questions or bring up issues with the series as I'm always willing to discuss things with you readers. Looking ahead, I'll be taking a bit of a break. Nova Squadron will still be going on as a long term project and I'll be devoting much more attention to that during the year now. I'm sure the long suffering followers of that story will be glad to hear that. :)

For those who are fans of my PR: Vanguard series, I'm also putting together a sequel series which is tentatively set to begin later this year. It's also going to be starring some of the children of the original heroes. If that sounds interesting, feel free to sound off and let me know too. I'll be posting the prologue to that story within the next day so stay tuned. Until then, take care and hope to see you all for the next one!


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